Pareidolia
by Ziltoid
Summary: Stubbornly, the Kyuubi refused to come to Naruto's aid in the fight against Shukaku. But, being merely half of what he once was, Kurama's decision has unexpected consequences. Only the Rikudou Sennin is able to offer Kurama a way out over this deadlock… but what rises from the ashes is stronger than anyone could have anticipated.
1. The Death of Uzumaki Naruto

**Obligatory disclaimer and warning thingy: **Surprisingly, I'm just another fanfiction writer who doesn't own or created Naruto. That's a privilege belonging to Masashi Kishimoto, not me. I do, however, claim ownership over the few original characters, as well as the weird plot I've invented for this story. Not that my claims result in me getting paid... Ah well, such is the harsh fate of a fanfic writer. I do happily accept the donation of reviews, though!

Please note that this story is rated 'MA', for mature audiences, it _will_ contain explicit language and adult themes. Among which will also be gore, as well as the untimely deaths of some characters. And excessive language is impossible to avoid, with Tayuya being one of the main characters of the story... The 'lemon' scenes, later in the story, will be preceded by warnings so that anyone not willing to read them can skip those scenes.

* * *

**Pareidolia**

* * *

**Chapter one**

**The Death of Uzumaki Naruto**

* * *

_"For what are myths if not the imposing of order on phenomena that do not possess order in themselves? And all myths, however they differ from philosophical systems and scientific theories, share this with them, that they negate the principle of randomness in the world."_

― Stanisław Lem

* * *

What options did he still have? '_Who cares about the odds! If I don't beat this teme up quickly, Sakura-chan would end up getting crushed by that weird sand of his,'_ Naruto thought. '_And whatever happened to Sasuke, it left him completely defenseless… I cannot fail. I have to save my friends no matter what.'_

"What do you think you can do against… that thing?" the tiny toad Gamakichi croaked. "He looks more like a demon, he doesn't resemble anything human. Only his legs aren't covered with that weird sand of his."

"I know," Naruto replied, not really paying much attention as he focused on his enemy, who only seemed to gather more and more sand.

"Boy, you are weak," the toad concluded.

"…guh, shuddup!"

"I don't know what that thing is, but if I were you I'd run. You don't stand a chance." the toad warned.

"I don't care about the odds. I _have_ to do this, or else they will die… I have to do this," Naruto whispered, as if reciting a prayer. '_Those eyes. Those sad, lonely eyes. Him… him and a monster. He is just like me. I loathed everyone, couldn't understand who I was or why I existed as a hated being… It was so painful. But… now I have people that acknowledge me. That is why I no longer care about how I was treated in the past. I am not alone anymore!'_

Naruto looked at the growling Gaara, who kept amassing sand, and his chakra kept increasing at an impossible rate.

'_How would I have turned out if I never found a friend? Why can I understand him so much? Of course he would want to lash back, to kill others to ease his own suffering. He never learned to trust anyone but himself, and to this day he has kept on fighting in this hell… all alone,' _Naruto pondered. '_…do I really have a chance against someone like him?'_

"What's wrong, too afraid to even move?" Gaara, or the demon possessing Gaara, taunted. "What happened to all those big words? Didn't you fight for others? Geh, you are just another coward," it scoffed. "Just love yourself! Fight only for your sake! These things define the strongest!"

The Suna jinchuriki stretched out his sand-covered claw. "C'mon! FIGHT ME! Show me those powers like when you defeated that Hyuga! I will crush those powers!" it shouted, before starting to laugh like a maniac. "If you don't fight me, that girl you like so much will die."

"Guh…" Naruto looked at Sakura and cursed at himself. Charging forward, he pulled out all the chakra he could muster. "KAGE BUNSHIN NO JUTSU!"

But it did not help. In one mighty attack, Gaara annihilated the small army of clones, and threw Naruto away. Crashing into a three, Naruto had no chance to even think of dodging the sand shuriken that flew towards him.

"Damn-it," Naruto coughed up some blood. "To him… to anyone but him… I don't want to lose, even if it costs me my life!"

Now desperate, Naruto gathered all the chakra reserves he had left to him. Grabbing a kunai with an explosive note, Naruto again made his signature move. This time, with some creative use of the poor clones, Naruto managed to land a hit on Gaara.

*BOOOM*

Most of Gaara's sand shroud was destroyed when the explosive note that was stabbed underneath his tail exploded. While absolutely terrified, Temari couldn't help but start worrying. Whatever he was, Gaara was still her little brother. And first the Uchiha, and now this kid.. '_No one ever damaged Gaara, and in this village there are two, kids younger than me… especially this blond kid. How on earth did he manage to land a hit when Gaara has transformed this much?'_

Blown back by the explosion, Naruto flew straight into Sasuke's arms. The latter panted from exhaustion. His cursed seal had done so much damage.. "Finally decided to go back to you normal self?" he asked the dizzy blond. "And after all that, you only landed one blow. Pathetic."

"Shut up," Naruto grunted in pain.

The smoke cleared, and Naruto began to curse when he saw how little damage his attack had done. Gaara's chakra was nearly unaffected, while his own reserves…

"Oh well, I'll just end it here…" Gaara scoffed.

"Naruto… take Sakura… get her out of here, save her no matter what," Sasuke panted. "Go as far as you can… I'll hold him off."

"Sasuke…"

"Never again. I already lost everything once before, and I don't ever want to watch those dear to me die before my eyes again," Sasuke growled, and his chakra flared up when the cursed seal responded to the young Uchiha's rage.

Before Naruto could even respond, Sasuke charged forward. But to Naruto's dismay, even Sasuke's speed was insufficient. The sand-covered monster swatted his teammate away like he was little more than an annoying fly.

"Sasuke!" without thinking, Naruto leapt forward. '_If Sasuke would go that far… Haku said it, only when you have something special that you want to protect… only then you become truly strong!__'_

"Give me your chakra, you damn fox!" he muttered.

Similar to the small toad who was still watching the battle, Temari's eyes widened when she suddenly felt the boy's chakra spike. "He was exhausted, Gaara beat him down, and yet he can generate more chakra? Even after all he did during the finals just now?" Temari whispered, doubted what she saw.

Meanwhile, Naruto far from shared her wonder. '_This isn__'__t half the strength I had when facing Neji… Come on Kyuubi, I need way more chakra to stand a chance against Gaara!__'_

"The Kyuubi…" Gaara chuckled. "Now I see what was going on. You carry the Kyuubi within you, don't you, Uzumaki?"

"Yeah. So?"

"So I will not hold back any longer," Gaara smirked before he vanished in an enormous cloud of dust.

'_No… no way. How can he transform into this?_' Naruto panicked, as the dust settled and revealed the humongous form of the Ichibi. Meanwhile, Temari watched, completely frozen in fear. Every fiber of her being told her to run, to run as far as she could- but her mind had shut down. '_Fi-finally… it came out, his final form!__'_

"Now you die, Kyuubi!" the demon screeched, sending out its sands to capture the terrified Naruto. The boy tried to evade, but there was too much sand, and it moved too fast.

"Shit… shit, I can't escape," Naruto frantically tried to pull his leg out of the sand's grasp. But it was futile. Nothing he could do would give him a chance to escape. '_Is this the way I die? Dammit, I can__'__t die! I can__'__t fail Sasuke, or Sakura-chan. I can__'__t die here, not now, and definitely not at his hands! I am going to be the next Hokage! Kyuubi!__'_

But the Kyuubi remained silent.

The sand wrapped itself around Naruto, and though the latter tried, he could not even form hand seals due to the sand's grasp. '_To think I was forced to use this form.. Then again, the Kyuubi was never that easy. I should count myself lucky that no one was smart enough to teach this brat how to control my brother__'__s massive power. Cheh, what a bunch of complete idiots to leave such a brat untrained. Even that gold-dust bastard had more sense in his empty head,__'_ the Ichibi thought grimly. "This is the end, Kyuubi. This time I win! **Sabaku Kyu**!"

As the sand tightened, Naruto begged the Kyuubi inside him for power. But nothing came. There was no hope. No future.

This was the day Uzumaki Naruto died.

'_I told you, if you die I will just reform,__'_ the Kyuubi chuckled darkly, moments before Naruto drew his final breath.

The Kyuubi was tired of his century of imprisonment. This was a great opportunity to finally escape Konoha's grasp, and freedom meant more than anything. Even if it had to come at the cost of betraying his naïve container. As the darkness engulfed Naruto's inner world, the prison that had held the Kyuubi for over a decade crumbled. The Kyuubi gritted its teeth as the world grew cold and his body started to dissolve. '_A temporary death is but a small price to pay for my freedom- even if it takes a few years to reform,__'_ the mighty creature laughed before it 'died' for the first time in its existence. _'Let that Tanuki enjoy the victory I granted him. Once I reform, I will destroy him first, and then burn down the village that -__'_

_S_ilence fell, and then a flash of bright, white light.

* * *

There was warmth, and he felt so light. He sensed himself smaller than he had been for centuries. In fact, Kurama had not felt so tiny since he left the old man's inner world- but back then he was little more than a 'baby', recently born from the remains of the mighty Juubi that had been subjugated by the old man himself.

'Why am I so small? _And where am I?__' _Kurama thought. He still had to squeeze his eyes shut because the bright light blinded him. Everything was white. '_No, not everything is white. There is some kind of water on the ground,__'_ Kurama realized, as he felt it around his now tiny claws.

"What an unexpected visit," a voice spoke. And not just any voice. It had been nearly a millennium since Kurama heard that voice for the last time.

"Old man… is that really you? Where-"

"Yes, Kurama, it is really me," Otsutsuki Hagoromo replied, though he did not show the kind and gentle smile that he always had when he spoke to Kurama and his brethren all that time ago. "A better question would be: why are _you_ here?"

"What do you mean, old man?" Kurama frowned a little. "My host died, so I guess I will have to spend some time here before I can reform again."

"Host?" the first sennin blinked with his rinnegan eyes.

"Yes," Kurama explained. "The humans, they hunted and imprisoned me and the others, remember? Some of the others have died with their containers before, so surely they must have told you about this."

"You are the first to arrive here in many years," the white-clad man sighed. "And you should not be here. This realm is neither fit for the living, nor for the dead."

"Then… how did I get here?"

"I thought YOU could explain that," Hagoromo sighed. Kurama finally got used to the unusual brightness around him. He saw his creator, and realized that the man had not changed one bit since the last time they had met.

"You haven't changed at all, since you created the moon and set us free," Kurama whispered.

"This is a realm outside the flow of time," Hagoromo explained, swirling his Shakujo staff until it touched the water above which the man floated. The reflection in the water changed into the last time Hagoromo had spoken to the nine bijuu, shortly before he had set them free and scattered around the world. "This was… perhaps it was a day ago, or else several millennia, I cannot say. It was the day I said goodbye. I predicted that you and your brothers and sister would all come together once more. But, what happened to you is outside my predictions. I ask you again, Kurama, what happened that could force you to come to this place?"

"You and your damn riddles," Kurama grumbled. "I told you, the brat in whom I was imprisoned died. So I should be reforming any time soon, right?"

"No, Kurama, none of the others have come here before reforming. How did the child that held you die?"

"Tsk. Well, the brat faced the kid that contained Shukaku, and well…"

"You two still haven't stopped fighting?"

"Erm… not really, no," Kurama admitted, feeling a bit sheepish. How long had it been since the mighty nine-tailed fox felt like a child that received a scolding?

"Then how did the child die?"

"Well, Shukaku controlled his kid, and attacked mine, last thing I saw was the boy getting crushed by a wave of sand."

"You did not help the child?" Hagoromo frowned.

"Hell no. That brat was too dumb and annoying, I couldn't keep saving his ungrateful ass," Kurama snapped. "What was I supposed to do, aid that brat and allowing him to keep me imprisoned? I have been mistreated for centuries; those humans attacked me, subjugated me, and finally imprisoned me. I had had enough. I wanted freedom, even if it meant-"

"Even if it meant allowing the murder of an innocent child," Hagoromo said, but his speaking tone broke the Kyuubi's anger. Hagoromo's disappointment and sorrow felt like tangible blades that pierced the Bijuu's heart. "I thought I raised you to be better than that, Kurama…"

Kurama scowled a little, but eventually relented and sighed. "You are right.. The brat was not completely bad, I admit that. At least he didn't pin me down, or bind me down with chains or anything. At least, not yet. He was still protected by that accursed seal his father trapped me in."

"Tell me about that seal," Hagoromo said sternly.

"Ahh… I must admit I don't know too much about that."

"How so?"

"The brat's mother was the previous jinchuriki, that's how they called the humans that contained us, and she died when giving birth to the brat. My memories of that day aren't really clear. One moment, I felt myself getting dragged out of that woman's seal, and the next I stood in the center of a village, fighting a bunch of troublesome humans. Last things I remember are that the brat's father used some kind of seal to split me in two, and seal one half inside himself."

"If it meant splitting you in two, this man must have been remarkably skilled. And there are not many ways to achieve such a thing."

"True, he formed a contract with the damn Shinagami itself. He sold his own soul and dragged half of my power along with it."

"So the seal that held you within the child was created with the power of the soul his father sacrificed," Hagoromo grimaced. "I see… so that is why you ended up here."

"What do you mean old man? And no riddles this time," Kurama nearly begged.

"Half of you is sealed within the Shinagami's belly. So technically, you are partly dead. Even though you cannot really die.. Still, part of you is trapped in hell. That is why you looked so different. Your yin energies have been removed."

"Yeah, so what, I thought I already recovered the chakra I lost that day."

"You cannot. It is also why you cannot reform in the mortal plains."

"Riddles, riddles, why does everything have to be a riddle, old man," Kurama said impatiently. "Just say it in a way so that I can understand."

"You lost your Yin half, so you are only Yang," Hagoromo explained. "In order to reform, you would need Yin to create form and Yang to breathe life into that form. While you do not have Yin, you cannot re-form on you own. You need both."

"Makes sense," Kurama sighed, accepting the inevitable. "So what can I do about it? I hope I'm not trapped here for eternity."

"You never were the patient one. You should have taken the example of Isobu in that," Hagoromo chuckled. "This realm is outside the cycles of life and death, but you came here because you are an anomaly."

"Explain," Kurama grunted, trying not to lose his patience with his creator's roundabout way of talking.

"You, a being who could not die, have part of yourself trapped in hell," Hagoromo said. "Your creation was already beyond the normal laws of nature, causing the immortality of you and the others. But now that part of you is claimed by death, even while you are immortal, you have become an anomaly. I suppose that you ended up here because of that, combined with the fact that you are not complete and thereby unable to take shape."

"Dammit, why can't things ever be simple when I see you!" Kurama seethed. "There is always some kind of out-of-this-world crap that you shove on us. Really, at times I regret not just being a regular mindless puny fox."

"I know," Hagoromo said indifferently. "But you are the one guilty of this situation. Letting the child die was both selfish and foolish, Kurama. You brought this fate upon yourself. If you knew the way you were sealed involved the Shinigami, you should have seen that it would be difficult to fully comprehend the consequences of your decisions that led to your fall."

"Yes, yes, I know now, I was stupid," Kurama sighed. "But you weren't there to see how the humans treated us, old man. You created me, you made me sense hatred, but after centuries of only sensing hatred wherever I went, it was just impossible to not start returning all that hatred."

"So you became the very thing you hated at the beginning," Hagoromo sighed. "I once believed you to be the most promising of the nine, thus giving you the greatest burden. I see now that you were also the one to fall the deepest."

"What do you know, you abandoned us!" Kurama growled. "It was your very own son who first tried to use us for his own gains. Or are you oblivious to that as well?"

"No," Hagoromo said sadly. "I know very well the dispute that Indra and Ashura had.."

The two remained silent for a while. Kurama realized that his creator really was right, because he could not determine how long they remained silent. It might have been a second, but just as well an entire year. "Time really passes in a weird way in this place."

"It does.. So, Kurama, what are you willing to do now?"

"What do you mean? You just told me I was trapped here with no way out."

"I never told you that you were trapped," Hagoromo remarked. "If anything, I'd say you are stranded. I never said there would be no way out."

"And that 'what I am willing to do' question implies it requires some sacrifice?" Kurama sighed. The old man was one of the very few humans he cared about, a person he loved as his own father, but talking to him was always a rather tiring venture.

"Indeed. You said that you were bound to the child by a seal created by a man who sacrificed his own soul to the Shinigami. That means that you are bound to the child, not just at the physical level, but also at the spiritual. And since your existence has become an anomaly like my own, and left you stranded outside the realms of life or death, it is plausible to assume that the child is also in some place where his soul would not belong."

The Kyuubi sighed. "Know what, I just give up, I don't know what the hell you are trying to say, so please just focus on what I need to do."

"The bond between you and the boy transcends the boundaries of life and death. I could say that your souls have been joined, especially because your entity was torn after Yin was split from Yang."

"Yes, yes, move on please," Kurama said impatiently tapping with his claws on the flooded floor, but paid no attention to the ripples it created in the shallow water.

"Yet the boy's soul is not here, is it," Hagoromo remarked. "That means that you still have some kind of connection to the realm of life and death. I could send you back, using that connection. However, that would pose several risks."

"What risks? I mean, it can't get worse than this, can it?" Kurama sighed, haven given up trying to speed up his creator's explanation.

"Forcing your return would shatter the boy's soul."

The Kyuubi scoffed. "So what?"

"Like him, you would also not remain intact. The shards of both your souls would merge."

"English please."

"You will be reborn, but I cannot say in what form, nor when, nor where. Though if I had to guess, it would be either the place where you and the boy left the mortal realm, or near those who were at the scene of your… well, in the absence of a better word, we should call the event your death."

"So, I have the choice between being trapped in this place and being destroyed," Kurama grumbled. "Not what I would call 'getting out of here,' would you?"

"The forced rebirth would put a strain on you, but like all broken things, you will eventually re-establish yourself in some form. Though, this is theory. I cannot say what would happen, after all, there has never been anything before this that could compare to your situation, Kurama. But I dare say you should at least try. You owe it to the boy who you left for death."

"Wait, left for death? So the brat is still alive?"

"No, he is not alive, nor is he dead. But unlike you, he is not immortal, so there is no saying where he ended up. Perhaps he was indeed accepted in the realm of the death, or perhaps he was left in the fade in between the two realms. Or perhaps he is somewhere in our realm, though in that case we would have noticed him by now."

"Can you not just let him die once I get off this place?"

"Kurama, you only possess your Yang energies, so could not exist on your own. Unless you would like to return and be unable to take physical shape," Hagoromo sighed. The Kyuubi paled a little at the idea of such a fate. "You will need the boy, for he has both Yin and Yang. He will be able to complement you, enabling your return."

"Permanently?"

"The child will re-form, and through your strength he will grow. Once he reaches the required qualities, he may or may not permit you to return to the mortal plains, though this would require him to either re-form or undo the original seal."

"You're saying I need to depend on the brat to re-form?" Kurama said incredulously. "While I have no influence over him whatsoever?"

"Indeed," Hagoromo answered calmly. "Though, whatever shape the child might take, he will realize that he is incomplete. Any creature who feels incomplete will strive for completion."

Kurama smashed his head into the water. "ENGLISH?!"

"The child will be motivated to re-form himself as he was intended to be. And this means that he would have to sever the link he has with you."

"So he will want me to re-form so that he can be himself again? Is that what you meant?" Kurama blinked.

"Indeed." Hagoromo shaped nine orbs of black matter that floated behind him, and moved his Shakujo staff forward so that it touched Kurama's head. "Your existence in the world is required for its continuation. You will re-form, but this will take time. I would, however, like you to refrain from repeating the mistakes that led to this unfortunate situation. Your shattered ego will eventually re-form, just as the boy's ego will re-form. In the meantime, however, I cannot say for certain what you will be. Be it human, be it something more, I would not be able to say."

"So how am I going to-" Tap. The Shakujo staff touched Kurama's head and he disappeared in a blinding flash of light, while disturbing the quiet of the water below with many a ripple.

"Good luck Kurama," Hagoromo said weakly. He looked behind him and saw that only one of the nine black orbs had survived the process. "So, it took eight of my nine Gudodama to send him back," he sighed, knowing it would take a while to gather the chakra to reform them in their full power. Or would it be an instant? He couldn't tell in this place.

"I wonder how long it will be until I receive visitors again.."

* * *

Light. Flames. The fire was everywhere around him. Where was he? Who was he?

Sitting amidst an inferno that consumed an entire forest, a single boy looked around. He was somewhat curious about what surrounded him, but he did not really know how to move.

In fact, he did not even understand why he wanted to move in the first place.

The forest around him looked somewhat familiar, and some of the craters in the area made him think that he should be remembering _something_. But what? He looked down at his own hands, and the child frowned a little. His body was made out of pure chakra, as if he was consisted of pure flames that had taken the shape of a child of about four years old. He knew his body was wrong in some way, as it was not as solid as the trees around him. Though, the trees did not continue to exist for much longer. Flames consumed everything, until all that was left was a barren vista filled with flames that would even melt the ground underneath the boy's feet.

Yet, while it felt odd, the boy knew that this was right. Part of him knew he had to consume to grow. But now the area was barren, he had nothing to sustain him.

It was time to move on.

The boy-made-of-flames fluttered a few times, and then vanished, relinquishing his physical form.

* * *

Jiraiya felt tired. It had been six months since the first sighting, and after that it had happened only once more. Reports told of a sea of flames, an unnatural inferno. It was unnatural because the flames were not created by any conventional means. It was not caused by any jutsu, nor by any normal occurrence which could have caused it. In fact, it was a complete and utter mystery what caused those wildfires.

But having seen the destruction it caused with his own eyes, Jiraiya had been convinced he knew what caused it.

But it was too soon. It had only been two years since the Kyuubi had died. Two years.. Two years in which Jiraiya had spent every waking moment blaming himself for the death of his godson. Ever since that day, ever since he had avenged Naruto, Jiraiya had not returned to his village. Every reason he had to remain loyal to Konohagakure had now perished. Sarutobi Hiruzen had died at Orochimaru's hands, Uzumaki Naruto had died in the Ichibi's onslaught, and his last friend, Senju Tsunade, had fallen so deep into her drunk misery that she refused to see him.

But had all hope left Jiraiya's life? No. No, Jiraiya had been called to Mount Myoboku not three months after Naruto's death, by the great toad sage himself. Gamamaru had told Jiraiya a prophecy, that he would one day see the last of his family, and that that blue-eyed boy would return to fulfill his destiny and change the world. And Jiraiya would still be the one to guide the boy on his path.

It left Jiraiya with a strange sense of hope- a blue-eyed boy, the last of his family. There was only one who met those requirements: Uzumaki Naruto. Gamamaru had foretold his return.

'_These fires were caused by an entity that was beyond normal reason, but it does not seem the work of the Kyuubi itself. In fact, if the Kyuubi had reformed, the entire nation would have known it by now.'_ That creature would not have remained silent for six months; no, Jiraiya was convinced that it would turn against Konoha the moment it had reformed. _'No, these fires were caused by something else. And the molten footprints I found at the second site suggest that there had been a human child in the heart of the firestorm.'_

"Now I need to find him. I will not fail him again," Jiraiya mumbled, as he moved towards the next city where he would try to gather news on any strange events.

* * *

She felt the blood running from the wound in her chest. '_Seems like they succeeded in their mission after all,_' Temari smiled weakly. She had seen the last member of her escort fall at the hands of the Konoha anbu. But the reinforcements from Iwakagure were enough to handle them.

But Iwa wouldn't get their prize. One of the anbu had broken through the line and hit Temari with a kunai. Had she been willing to do so, Temari would have been more than able enough to dodge a weakly thrown kunai. But… some fates were worse than death. In fact, the emotion that she mainly felt was relief- relief that this entire deal would end like this.

Her life had gone to hell anyway. What would be the point of continuing such a painful existence?

If only her father had not been so foolish all those years ago. The snake sannin, Orochimaru, had deceived him, and murdered him soon after. Under his deception, Sunagakure had launched an attack on Konohagakure. Even two years later, the village had not yet recovered from that faithful day- neither of the villages, actually.

Both villages had lost their only jinchuriki that day. Gaara, her own brother, had been the one to kill Uzumaki Naruto, who later turned out to be the jinchuriki of the Kyuubi. In the battle, Gaara had lost control voluntarily or not, and tried to destroy Konoha. But Jiraiya of the sannin had stepped forward…

Her brother, or what little remained of her brother's personality, had stood no chance against the infamous toad sage, not after the Ichibi had boasted how it had killed the Kyuubi jinchuriki.

After that fateful day, Sunagakure had been changed forever. So many of their strongest had lost their lives. Temari and Kankuro had somehow survived, but their return to Suna had not given them much joy.

The village blamed their father for their current misery. It blamed their brother for failing to execute the one task given to him, and them merely because they were the only blood relatives of the two who had been held responsible for Suna's disastrous attack.

Under the rule of a former elder, Shimura Danzo, Konoha had changed fundamentally. The good-natured Sandaime Hokage had made Konoha a mostly peaceful village, where children could grow up with relatively few, minor problems, and the civilians had a certain level of safety. It was a prosperous and gentle place. The invasion of Sunagakure and Otogakure had destroyed that. In their anger, the village had elected Danzo as their new leader, and under his rule the village had become a militaristic machine that bred shinobi ready for war. The quality of the anbu platoon that had attacked Temari's group was a testament of that change.

War had changed both villages, and Suna had quickly been overrun. Their best troops had already died, and even though they had tried to resist as best they could, everyone in Sunagakure was well aware that they were losing the war with Konoha.

With each battle, the village had grown more desperate. Like always, desperation drew in the vultures that smelled an easy kill. Shortly after Suna had suffered a particularly devastating defeat, Iwagakure had amassed its forces at Suna's border. Oonoki exploited the chaos, and left Suna with two options: either Iwa would invade and destroy Sunagakure, or Suna would bow and submit to Iwa. If Suna would do that, the Land of Wind would become little more than a protectorate, and Sunagakure would be dismantled- but at least they would live.

Baki, who had been chosen as the new Kazekage, and the Daimyo had agreed that this 'alliance' with Iwa was the path which would lead to the least amount of casualties. After all, it would be pointless to submit to Danzo- that man had no mercy.

Temari gritted her teeth as she thought back. The day Suna and Iwa had signed their 'alliance', the entire population had celebrated it as if they were liberated. Sure, Iwa helped to push back Konoha's troops, that much was certain. But did it give them freedom? Iwagakure had sent their elite to replace Suna's highest ranking shinobi. A foreigner had become the sixth Kazekage, after Baki had 'accidentally' died, yet the man had only received applause from the villagers. Daughters of all the Suna clans had been sent off to Iwa, under the guise of 'political hostages', but all knew that they would be used to _gain access_ to certain bloodlines.

In the end, even Temari had become a target of this policy. Her village had been happy to send her, the demon's sister, the traitor's daughter, away to marry the Tsuchikage's cousin. No one cared if that brutish man was at least forty years old, while Temari with her seventeen years was barely an adult. If not for Chiyo, the last one to care about Temari and Kankuro, the man would have forced himself on her when the engagement was signed in Suna…

Temari knew that political marriages were unavoidable, that was a reality she grew up with, being the daughter of the Yondaime Kazekage. But still… to be thrown away as a sacrificial lamb by the village she once loved so much made her sad.

Then the day had arrived that she was sent off to Iwa, and who knew what kind of horror would have awaited her there. '_Maybe I should count myself lucky,_' Temari thought, as she coughed up some of the blood that slowly began to flood her right lung. '_Lucky that Danzo somehow heard about this deal that would seal the alliance between Iwa and Suna. Killing me, and making all the bodies disappear, would only rekindle the animosities. If the alliance could be sealed, Konoha would certainly have been at a disadvantage- especially now that Kumogakure also seemed to be starting preparations for war.__'_

She almost felt disappointed that her fiancé had decided to travel to their border to accompany Temari and her escort of shinobi. '_If they had come a little later, they surely would have killed me by now,_' she thought.

* * *

"Shika, we should retreat," one of the two remaining anbu urged. "There are five of them left, and we are only with the two of us, now that Toru-senpai fell. We cannot win this."

"We have our orders, and we must complete our mission," the black-haired shinobi replied, his stoic expression hidden behind his anbu mask.

"I know you feel like it is your responsibility, considering how Godaime-sama selected you due to your previous experiences against our target, but she's down. You hit her, Shika," the blonde anbu continued, not feeling too happy that Danzo picked them for this mission. "Dammit, say something. It's like you have become a zombie after you and Choji received that private training from the Godaime. It's not like it is your fault that Choji had that accident!"

Shikamaru remained silent while he saw the five Iwa shinobi regroup. "You are right," he said, his voice still expressionless. "You get back to the village and report the outcome of our mission to Danzo-sama, Ino."

"What about you?"

"I will make sure those five won't follow you. Or at least give you a head start."

"Shika, you can't-"

"Ino, go. There is no time to hesitate any longer, you are a kunoichi of the leaf, control your emotions and do what your mission demands of you," Shikamaru continued harshly.

And she ran. He was right: someone had to report back to their village, it was their duty. And unlike Shikamaru, she was not able to stall their opponents. Still, she did not like it. '_When was it that our lives started to change so much.. Nothing has ever been the same after the invasion,_' she felt sad. '_I wished things could have stayed the same as it was back then. I miss those carefree days. I miss Sakura, I miss Sasuke-kun… why did they have to die? Why did they-'_

"Doton: doryu taiga!"

Shikamaru looked behind him and cursed under his breath as he saw Ino slip in the small river of mud that one of the Iwa jonin had shot at her. "O no you don't," he grumbled, as he saw the man preparing to throw a kunai at his long-time teammate. "Good, caught one, four to go," he remarked when his shadows caught the jonin just before he could throw. "Go, Ino!"

But Ino did not go.

Looking back, Shikamaru saw a spike of stone spike through her chest, and blood flowed freely over her back.

The distraction was fatal. "Bakuton: bakugo," was the last thing the Nara heard, seeing one of the Iwa jonin who was a member of the Bakuha Butai, the explosion corps, finish his hand seals.

* * *

Temari cringed hearing the explosion, and felt disappointed that the anbu had failed their mission. Now she was left alone with the last five shinobi from Iwagakure. And sadly her 'fiancé' was amongst those five survivors.

How she hated the man. '_Please... please don__'__t possess any healing jutsu_,' she inwardly begged. '_Just let me die already! I don__'__t want that piece of filth to touch me… please let me die. I don__'__t want this any longer.__'_

The man, Ishikawa, who had been honored to receive the name of his esteemed great-grandfather, smirked as he looked down at the crying kunoichi. "Seems like we were just in time to save you, my dear wife… Konoha nearly got you," the large and broadly built man said. He had rather short black hair, and his black eyes seemed to express amusement at the girl's desperation. He knew very well that she did not want this fate… and he enjoyed that.

"Let me die.. Please just kill me," Temari croaked.

"What, and let you miss out on all the fun we might have together?" Ishikawa smiled. "No way I am going to allow that. Besides, you are far too valuable to our village. Our marriage is the symbol of our little alliance, right?"

"Get your… get your hands off of me," she coughed.

"Now, now, if you continue like this, I might even be forced to teach you a few lessons of obedience first," Ishikawa chuckled before he roughly pulled the kunai from Temari's chest. Before she could bleed out though, he closed the wound with his healing jutsu. Not without groping her breast though.

"Hau."

"What the.." Ishikawa muttered as he looked around for the speaker.

"Hau?" a small boy, stark naked, looked at him questioningly. "Hau-au, ah?" he babbled, pointing at Temari.

"What the fuck are you doing here, get lost you little freak," Ishikawa grumbled, slamming his fist in the boy's face. It never hit, however. The boy's face just let the fist through, as if he was completely ethereal.

"Genjutsu?" one of the remaining jonin asked, but trying to dispel it proved to be pointless.

The boy erupted in flames, and vanished in a small bright flash.

"Hou-oh," the boy said decisively. But he had moved next to Temari. He bowed over and gently touched the place where the kunai had struck her. "Au?"

"Don't… Don't heal me, just leave me alone," Temari protested weakly. The boy did not listen, or perhaps just did not understand, as he curiously tilted his head a little. The warmth that began to spread through her body was… well, ecstasy was the only word that she could later find describe the sensation. It was as if she suddenly was filled with endless energy, and a bright happiness that removed every trace of her depression. She closed her eyes, and completely concentrated on the amazing feeling. '_What is this…__'_

But she could not indulge herself in the warmth for too long, as suddenly the contact with the weird boy was broken. Rocks pierced the boy's body, but again did no harm. Temari spurred open her eyes and looked into the boy's eyes… at least she had intended to. There were no eyes in the boy's face: only glowing orbs of fire, a dark orange that radiated the same warmth as what she had just felt. "Who are you," she muttered. Again, the boy looked puzzled. He did not seem to understand any of her words at all. Well, he did not realize his chest was pierced either. "Are you a ghost?" she asked somewhat fearfully. "Or some kind of deity?"

Ishikawa stepped forward and dragged Temari away from the unknown boy, while barking orders at the four jonin to prepare a bigger attack against him. But a bombardment with rocks proved just as ineffective any other attack. After finishing a long series of hand seals, Ishikawa finally created a large stone dome to trap the boy. "Hurry," he urged, as his four subordinates worked to place sealing tags.

Inside the dome, the child stepped forward. He was curious; he did not comprehend why the five men attacked him, but did not really care either. The injured girl was a different matter though. It was almost as if she felt familiar. What confused him most was the strange flood of emotions he had felt when he had connected himself to the girl. Healing her body was something he did instinctively; he had never done such a thing before and would not have a clue on how to do it again. The connection they had for a short while was… strange, he felt.

On one hand, the boy enjoyed the pleasure the girl had felt when she was flooded with his warmth. On the other hand, it confused him how sad and angry she was. It was not that he understood the emotions itself, nor how to label them. This boy had never felt such a thing; he had roamed the world on his own, taking shape every now and then when he needed to gather more energy to sustain his 'warmth'.

The boy did, however, feel the hurt and pain from the girl; just like he felt the intent of the other five men to spread more pain, mainly to him. The boy did not feel really threatened, but the stone barrier did interest him. He had never seen anyone use such skills against him. In fact, he had never seen a human before, although he could somehow remember them. The stone even began to change now, he noticed. Suddenly, the boy realized that the barrier was trying to take away his warmth. It was almost similar to how the girl had started to lose her own warmth due to her injuries, he considered.

Stealing the warmth that sustained him… it felt completely wrong to the boy. He touched the barrier. It was indeed trying to suck his warmth away. It left only one option for the boy, but he did not want to hurt the girl who showed him all those odd emotions. Then he remembered, how he had been able to command the flames with his will, the last time he gathered warmth. In the inferno, a young fox had been trapped its den had been flooded by the fire. Somehow, the boy had felt a weak connection with the creature and decided to let it live.

Outside the barrier, the four jonin frowned when the chakra that had been flooding the seals they attached to the dome suddenly started to smoke. Before they could do anything, the paper started to burn.

Temari could only watch in awe as the stone done started to crack and then shattered. Seizing the opportunity provided by the confusion, she marshaled what little strength she had and dragged herself away from the filth that was her fiancé.

He did not notice her effort. Ishikawa saw flames erupt from the ground surrounding them, and was barely able to jump away. Sprinting as fast as he could, he escaped the area once the flames started to spread with an unnatural speed. "What the hell is going on?" he uttered.

"Ishikawa-sama, we should retreat," the last remaining jonin panted. His other colleagues had not been fast enough, and were trapped and consumed by the fire. "That fire, it is that child. I do not know what it is, I never heard of a kekkei genkai that could do such a thing. None of the living jinchuriki are of that age, not to mention that that level of control is completely impossible for a child of that age!"

"You are right…" Ishikawa grunted. "Dammit! That freak killed my wife!"

"Sir?"

"I had to make a run for it, and the bitch had crawled off… with the approaching flames it was impossible to grab her and still get away," he cursed and grumbled. "I bet this is some kind of freakish experiment from that sick fuck Danzo."

"Perhaps… but why didn't our ninjutsu work?" the jonin wondered. He had seen the others try to block the flames, but each jutsu simply failed. "It was as if the fire consumed the chakra itself."

"Impossible," Ishikawa scoffed. "It doesn't matter anymore. We need to get back and report this failure to Tsuchikage-sama. He would surely be interested in this kid. However, he surely won't be too happy that he has to re-negotiate the terms for Suna's surrender."

"At least both Tsuchikage-sama and the remnants of Suna would know that this is the work of Konoha."

"Maybe. And maybe not. Where is the proof?" Ishikawa said dryly, pointing at the flames. "That fucking brat burned it all away!"

"Was that childlike appearance not just a disguise, Ishikawa-sama?"

"What do you mean?"

"When the dome exploded, I saw something… huge. It was for only a second, but it looked like a giant man made out of flames. I remember the stories of the Uchiha clan's Susano'o. It looked a bit like the pictures I saw from that in the records of the war, but it was different, as if it was made out of fire. I don't-"

"Neither of us knows what that thing is," Ishikawa grunted, cutting the terrified man's story short. "It makes it all the more important to retreat, rather than to reengage, because our nation has to know the truth about this creature."

"Yes."

* * *

The flames engulfed the area, and she knew she wasn't fast enough. She tried, but it was pointless. '_And why do I even bother? If I survive, I either end up in the pig__'__s arms again, or I go home and then sent to that pig again by those assholes in my own village.__'_

Temari of the sands accepted her fate. She closed her eyes and waited for the flames to claim her life. It would hurt, but at least it would only be for a few moments. She'd rather end up like this, than to be violated and used as some sick trophy. At least this way, her suffering would only be short. So, she waited, and waited, and… nothing.

'_What is…_' she started to think, while slowly opening her eyes.

Temari gasped as she saw that she was lying down on the ground, and that that ground and everything around her was covered in flames. '_Yet the fire… it doesn__'__t harm me?__'_she wondered.

"Ah," a deep voice resounded through the flames. Temari watched with wide eyes as a very large man strode through the fire. It was shaped like a man, but it was an entity made of fire itself, of pure energy. The closer it came to her, the smaller it became, until only the little boy that had approached her earlier was left. "Auh?" the boy asked.

"What.. What is going on? Am I dreaming? This is not a genjutsu, so… what the hell are you?" she wondered. "Answer me! Please?"

But the boy didn't answer. Again, it seemed to Temari as if the boy couldn't even understand her words. She flinched back when the boy crouched down next to her, and again touched the place where the kunai had wounded her earlier. Temari couldn't help but sigh, as the immensely pleasing sensation of warmth flooded her senses.

The discomfort she had felt within her chest soon left, and her strained muscles seemed to rejuvenate. It was as if all the chakra in her entire body was replenished by this strange little boy. Suddenly, the warmth stopped, and she nearly moaned in disappointment that the warmth left. _'What is that strange chakra of his? It doesn__'__t even feel like regular chakra, but more like… It is almost as inhuman as a Bijuu, but unlike those demonic things, this boy feels completely innocent and gentle. So warm…__'_

Looking around, she saw the flames recede, and strange enough it all seemed to be absorbed by the boy- as if the flames had been part of him. While that happened, his fiery appearance also changed, and he started to look like the boy she first saw again. He had light tanned skin and flaming-red hair. But what really drew her attention were his eyes, the most surprising about the boy's appearance. They were bright orange orbs, as if liquid flames somehow swirled within his eye sockets.

"Those are not the eyes of a human…" she whispered. She tried to get up on her elbows, and was surprised at how easy it felt. She felt good again; in fact, better than she had ever felt before. The boy smiled as she inspected the place where her wound had been. "It was a mortal wound… I should have been dead," she muttered. Temari looked up at the boy that stood next to her. He looked so happy, it made her smile a little. Standing up, she started to look around and saw the pure destruction around her. The inferno had not spared a thing. The sparse vegetation had vanished, the layer on top of the sands had molten to glass, and each and every rock was scorched. Only a little had remained of all the people that had been killed here today. A skull here, a thigh bone there, and every now and then the remains of someone's spine. But most had turned to ashes.

Temari felt a bit guilty about the happiness she experienced at the thought that her husband-to-be had died. She knew it was wrong to wish for someone to die, but in his case she wanted to make an exception. It was too bad that this likely meant that Iwagakure and Sunagakure now either had to renegotiate the terms of their alliance, or else start another profitless war. '_What do I care? They sent me off to a life of misery, all for their own convenience. For all they know, Temari of the sands has died today_,' she grimaced. '_And let them keep thinking that.'_

As if feeling her unease, the boy poked her leg and jabbered something unintelligible.

"I'm fine," Temari smiled down at the odd child. "Thanks for saving me."

The boy again failed to understand, but instead reached out to touch her hand. Temari shuddered a little when a wave of his warm chakra echoed through her body. Whatever he learned from it, Temari doubted she would ever understand.

Then she was surprised when the boy jumped into her arms and gave her a firm hug.

Stunned, Temari wondered for a second what she should do. She felt the happiness radiate from the boy, as if he was relieved he had finally found her. '_Wait__… How do I know he was looking for me?__'_ she suddenly realized.

The boy did not care. He was just happy he finally found someone who felt familiar to him, someone he vaguely remembered. Even if he had not even the faintest idea why, he just felt relieved. And then he felt his neck itch a little.

Later, when Temari sized him up to try to dress him, she noticed the strange mark in his neck: a symbol resembling the digit nine, a single magatama.

* * *

_Author__'__s notes:_

* * *

Annnd cut.

This concludes the first chapter of 'Pareidolia'. I won't be surprised if you found it weird though. The basic idea behind the story came when I wondered '_what would happen to the Kyuubi if Naruto dies?_' A stupid question that escalated into a wild theory. To summarize: as we all know, Minato sealed half of the Kyuubi along with himself in the Shinagami using the Shiki Fujin (Dead Demon Consuming Seal). So, with only the yang half being free, would Kurama be able to respawn like all the other bijuu seemed to be capable of? My answer was no.

In the universe Kishimoto created, Yang chakra was related to the physical energy that governs vitality, can be used to breathe life into form, while Yin chakra is based on the spiritual energy that governs imagination, can be used to create form out of nothingness. I repeat this lore stuff, only to clarify to those who did not get it from Hagoromo's explanation: I theorized that in order for a bijuu to respawn, both Yin and Yang would be needed. Form is pointless without content, while content cannot exist without form. So, not having his Yin chakra, while at the same time being an immortal mass of chakra, I thought: where would Kurama end up instead?

By the way, the little boy in the latter half of the chapter, 'Naruto', is not something godlike or anything. He could be beaten easily enough if he wasn't mostly impervious to damage due to not having a solid physical form. Compare it to trying to damage a flame. His fire-based attack is special though, and will be explained later on. Anyway, despite all the explanations I hope you enjoyed the chapter. Please note that I will not be updating this story as frequent as my other story, "The Honoured Guest", is the main focus of my efforts.

Credits to my beta **illuminated**!

-Ziltoid-

**Edit** in response to review: Yes, Kurama was able to live after his Yin chakra was extracted, and yes, Kurama nearly reformed in Naruto's battle against Pein. But these are both things I did _not_ address here. What I was talking about is Kurama reforming after dying. It is stated in the manga that a bijuu reforms when it (or its jinchurki) gets killed, because a bijuu cannot die (for some reason which Kishimoto never really explained). So, I did not state that Yang Kurama could not maintain a form when living, I merely theorized that he could not create a new form after dying. Because such an act of creation would, according to what Kishimoto stated in the story, require both Yin and Yang.


	2. Hidden from the eyes of the living

**Pareidolia**

* * *

**Chapter two**

**Hidden from the eyes of the living**

* * *

"_She is free in her wildness, she is a wanderess, a drop of free water. She knows nothing of borders and cares nothing for rules or customs. 'Time' for her isn't something to fight against. Her life flows clean, with passion, like fresh water."_

― Roman Payne

* * *

Freedom. After the two long years of struggling to live after Suna had launched its failed attempt to invade Konoha, it felt so... terrifying. Then again, she had never experienced much freedom before that either. She had been the daughter of the Kazekage, and as such there were a lot of expectations she had to meet. Temari of the Sand was supposed to be the best of the best, a daughter worthy of a Kage. She and her siblings were supposed to be her father's elite soldiers… and don't bring up parental love. This was a man who gave her a scroll on ninjutsu, rather than a doll. He sparred with her, rather than give her a hug. The only advantage to her position was that there had always been instructors around, the best of the best, to guide her. But freedom of choice? She never had that. Her father was never interested in something that trivial. He didn't need children, he only needed weapons.

'_Then again, this is the same madman who killed mother by sealing Shukaku into my brother, before he was even born…__but at least I had some dignity and respect back then, even if my entire position was only due to father and Gaara. But thanks to those two, Kankuro and I also became hated, the pariahs of our village. And look at me now: I am reduced to nothing more than a wanderer, homeless, cast out of my village, only escaping to never to reach the other village where they wanted me to go. I no longer have a place to call home,__'_ she sighed to herself. Still, her life had not worsened. On the contrary, for the first time in months, the world had witnessed her smile. '_And how could I not smile? This kid is so clueless, it__'__s just too funny and cute. And the sensation of his chakra…__'_

The child was completely oblivious to her opinion and amusement though. The small, six- or seven-year-old, flaming-red haired, lightly-tanned boy was more concerned with chasing wildlife than anything else. Like a little bird, he fluttered up and down trees, floundered through bushes, and generally just went wherever he liked to go. If there wasn't a squirrel he could chase, he would startle a deer, or play tag with a wolf, all while babbling the strangest, most unintelligible things.

At first, Temari had been concerned her unexpected companion would get hurt, but that proved to be a needless worry. If he fell from the top of a tree, he would land as if he was a fully-trained shinobi. If he got attacked by some of the larger wildlife, such as wolves or bears, their attacks passed through him without causing any harm. Well, with no harm to himself at least; the attacker would end up getting burned. Apparently, while his body looked humanoid, it consisted of flames on the inside. Temari didn't understand who or what the boy was, but at least he was useful.

One particular aggressive boar, for instance, had become the victim of his flames, after not really appreciating that the boy had pulled its tail. In the nick of time, Temari had managed to stop the boy, and in the end the boar had become her dinner. It was a long- overdue dinner for both of them, not that the boy understood. He had practically latched himself to Temari's leg, out of pure curiosity toward what she was doing to the meat. What was even more surprising to Temari was when she tried to convince him to eat.

How was she supposed to communicate with a boy who could neither speak nor understand her words? She did not know, nor was she not patient enough to keep trying indefinitely. So in the end, she just grabbed him and forced the food into his mouth while ignoring his resistance, but thankful that his fire still proved to be harmless for her. Though she had seen him burn fully-trained jonin, he was surprisingly weak. Apparently, his flames were his only weapon, and she could touch those flames for some reason, without being hurt. So, in a way, she knew she had little to fear from him.

Although she had told him that he had to eat if he wanted to survive in this place, the boy did not understand, as was made obvious by his utterly confused look in response to her words and her actions. Thinking back to it still brought a smile to her lips. '_How can he not understand the concept of eating, Kami, this must be the greatest dumbass ever…__'_she had thought at the time, until the boy, annulling his physical form, had changed into his form of a human-shaped mass of flames. She watched the food be consumed by the flames, before he reformed to his appearance of a 'regular' human. At that moment, she had come to understand that he used his fire to consume energy. Before, she had seen his flames, and had wondered why they all retracted into his body- and Temari was smart, very smart actually, only once having met an opponent who managed to outsmart her.

This boy fascinated her more than anything. '_I wonder what he actually is…__'_ Temari mused, not for the first, and certainly not the last time, as she watched him toddling around in the forested area. The two of them were headed in the direction of Kusagakure, as she had wanted to leave the dreary land where Amegakure was located as quickly as possible. On her original route from Suna to Iwa, where she was supposed to have the marriage that was supposed to solidify the political agreement between the two villages, she had nearly reached the southern borders of the Land of Earth before they were assaulted by a platoon of Konohagakure's anbu. Rather than being shipped off to marry that Iwa brute, she was saved by this boy.

Just when she accepted, and even longed for, death, her life was changed once more. And this time for the better.

By travelling to the north-east, Temari hoped to avoid patrols of both Iwa and Suna. She had absolutely no intention of returning to the place that had cast her out, the place that had sold her off, a village which happily sacrificed her for a false alliance. It was false because the alliance only meant that Suna was surrendering to Iwagakure, but was too proud to admit that it was surrender. It was false, because Iwa had no interest in Suna other than stealing whatever valuable bloodlines that remained, by putting the daughters of Suna's clans into their own breeding programs. And, it was false because as soon as Iwagakure had gotten what it wanted, and their common threat, Konoha, had either pulled back or was left defeated, Sunagakure would be abandoned without a thought. It was not like the desert offered anything of value to Iwa, other than the people who struggled to survive out there.

Yet when she had observed what was happening, no one had ever listened to her warnings. No one but her brother Kankuro, and the retired counsellor Chiyo, even seemed to notice her. These two were the only ones that Temari currently missed: Kankuro, her last blood relative, and Chiyo, who had surprised the entire village by stepping forward to guide the two younger siblings. But Temari knew… if she went back, she would either be blamed for the failed 'trade', and then would either be imprisoned as a traitor or sent to Iwa again. None of these options were too appealing for the seventeen-year-old blonde.

So, she did what she could to disappear without a trace. She had thrown away her hitai-ate at the burned down battlefield, and now she was making a run for it. She was running to get herself far from the areas where anyone would look to find her. But where could she go, she wondered.

Besides Iwa and Suna, two places where she obviously did not want to be, Ishigakure would not be safe due to the ties that it had with Iwa; nor would Amegakure be very safe, as it was where she had disappeared and thus also the place where people would start their search for her once they realized she had not died. In hindsight, she thought that she was extremely stupid by dumping her hitai-ate on the battlefield, when all other things had been incinerated… then again, she was not exactly in the right state of mind at that moment.

But returning to the matter at hand, what other option did she have? There was Kusagakure, but that village was not the most reliable place either. Sure, the village had a strained relationship with Iwa after the previous war, but they would sell her out before she could pronounce 'ryo'. She knew all too well how greedy those people were.

Obviously, Konohagakure was not an option. Had it been under the Sandaime's rule, Temari would definitely have considered it, but after the destruction her little brother had caused, the subsequent war, and the current reign of Danzo, Temari knew she should avoid their nation like the plague. While Kusa would sell her before she could say 'ryo', Konoha would kill her before she could say 'kunai'. So, those two villages were not attractive options for her. What was left? Crossing the borders of the great five nations without being noticed would be difficult or even impossible considering the current hostilities. There was only one direction left to her: the nation in which Takigakure was settled.

Temari had been there once, on a mission, only a few months before the dreadful invasion of Konoha. It had a nice climate, and had never been particularly hostile to Suna, while harboring a lot of bitterness for Iwagakure. Also, it was far enough from that new hidden village, Otogakure, that had gained a rather dubious reputation during the war between Konoha and Suna.

And with all its forests, lakes, and mountains, the land would be the perfect place to disappear. '_At least after a few years, they will have forgotten about me. Perhaps I could try to move to Taki then, or some other place- unless this war really turns into a world war.__In that case, no place would remain safe. But while I have the time, I should focus on teaching this kid whatever I can. I will probably need his help in the future. If the world finds out about him, every village would be after him. That could be a disaster, I don't even want to think about what would happen if he releases those flames of his in the middle of a village…__'_

* * *

"Orochimaru-sama."

"What is it, Kabuto?" Orochimaru spoke up, a little annoyed by the disturbance. He had made it clear often enough that he did not want to be disturbed while doing his research.

"Pardon the interruption, Orochimaru-sama, but we have received important news."

"Well then, speak," Orochimaru sounded a little bored. "Unless you found the remains of that Uchiha boy that was presumably killed two years ago, I doubt there is much that could pique my interest now."

"Do you remember the reports on those strange wildfires, Orochimaru-sama?"

"Yes?"

"A diplomatic group that was travelling from Suna to Iwa, sent to finalize the alliance between the two villages, has disappeared. Reports speak of another wildfire at the place of their disappearance."

"So this third one was outside the Land of Fire… interesting… especially the timing."

"Would this be the doing of Konoha?"

"No," Orochimaru mused. "The data from the last site was rather unusual. Danzo would have neither the resources nor the knowledge to develop something that would be capable of such an abnormal katon jutsu."

"Abnormal?" Kabuto frowned a little, after which he immediately needed to readjust his glasses.

"…very. How is Kimimaro-kun doing?"

"Kimimaro? After the breakthrough I made two months ago, his illness seems to be receding. However, he will never regain his former power- his body suffered a lot of damage. While it is likely that with proper treatment, he would function at about seventy to eighty per cent of his former capacity, right now it would likely do more harm than good to send him out. Assuming that is why you asked, Orochimaru-sama. It could be possible to speed up his recovery, but that might reduce his overall effectiveness."

"Sharp as always," Orochimaru chuckled. "Indeed, I will trust your judgement is correct. After all, it was your stroke of genius that gave me access to the Shikotsumyaku kekkei genkai once again.. Indeed then, you will send word that the sound four has to move out and find whatever causes those fires. Who or whatever it may be, I want to research it."

"All four of them? All right.. but if I may ask, what is so special about those fires?"

"To the untrained eye? Nothing at all," Orochimaru chuckled. "But it did something it was not supposed to do. 'Unnatural' sensei called me once, before I killed him… but whatever created a fire with those effects makes me look plain normal. Make sure that all four of them understand the importance of this mission, understood?"

"Understood," Kabuto replied, and bowed before he left the laboratory. '_Odd… __I suppose I must re-evaluate the data our spies gathered from the last two sites. What could it be that is so interesting? It looked like a regular fire to me, even if the cause was a mystery.__'_

* * *

"Oi! Kid, stop it," Temari called out. The child had darted out, and was peeking inside a cave. This place was well known for its giant black bears, not the type of creature Temari wanted to face in her current condition. It had been four days since she left the battlefield, and she had barely slept, and for the last days she also had not eaten any proper food other than what flesh was left edible after the boy had burned a boar. She was exhausted, but they had made progress, having crossed the border and made it some distance past Kusagakure. But right now they were now too close to Kusa for her to feel like she could relax for even a moment.

"No!" the child responded. Temari grumbled something unintelligible in response, knowing he wouldn't listen to her anyway. '_It took me four days to teach him __'yes__' __and __'no__'__, and now all he does is disagree with me, the infuriating little kid!__'_

Walking towards the entrance of the cave where the boy stood, Temari suddenly froze when she heard a deep growl. "Well fuck, the Goddess of Luck must really hate me," Temari sighed. Not for the first time, she wished she hadn't left her war fan. Then again, it would be like shouting out 'I am from Suna' to anyone who saw her carrying it. She had only a few kunai left, placed under the red sash that she had tied around her waist. Thinking about her clothes, she frowned a little, seeing how dirty and torn up her black short-sleeved kimono had become. '_I really need to get to a village to get new clothes and some weapons,_' she mused. '_And my left glove isn__'__t getting any better either. But I wanted to wait until after I passed Kusa. Now that__ I __have made that happen, it should be saver for me to approach a smaller village. First, this damn bear…__'_

However, in her weary state she had forgotten what the boy could do. The bear hadn't even left the cave, or the poor creature was reduced to little more than bones and ashes. It hadn't even realized what was going on. And like always the flames neither smoked nor spread, but rather just returned everything it consumed to the boy.

"Yes," the boy said proudly. He pointed inside, and looked at her expectantly.

"What?"

"Auh," reverting to his 'regular' pattern of speech. Temari didn't understand it at all though, so the boy impatiently grabbed her hand and dragged her inside.

To her surprise, the cave was rather cosy. While it was rather chilly outside, mostly due to the winds – the skies promised rain and there was that particular brand of coldness that arrives shortly before a storm would hit- once inside, they were sheltered from the elements.

The bear had lived in a surprisingly clean cave, though the floor of the den was covered by a carpet made out of years of shredded branches, pine needles and grasses. Obviously the creature had used this particular place for hibernation, and Temari couldn't exactly blame it. This was the perfect place for hibernation. If not for the boy, she would not even have noticed the entrance- and she most certainly was not the least observant kunoichi, to was more like the absolute contrary. If not for the prejudice against her, she would have been a jonin of Sunagakure by now. In fact, she had only once been outsmarted in her life, and she would still like to pay that Nara boy back.

"Yes," the boy pointed first at Temari and then at the ground. '_I really need to either figure out his name, or else just give him one. I can hardly keep calling him __'boy__' __or 'kid__' __all of the time.__'_

Meanwhile, his flaming orbs, which apparently had to pass for eyes in his unusual physiology, looked into her weary teal eyes. '_Does he understand how tired I am?__'_ Temari realized, being shocked by the thought that the child was observant enough to notice such things. Up to now, it most certainly seemed to her that he was the most oblivious and ignorant child she met- at least since her stay in Konoha during the Chunin Exams. Still, that particular boy had been capable of forcing her brother into his fully unleashed state…

'_Perhaps this kind of goofiness is a criterion for strength? Neh, only an idiot would create a world where the strongest people are total morons, no God would create such a world…__would they?__'_

"Hau," was all the boy said, sitting down on the floor. The entire floor covering that the bear had created made the place not half as cold and uncomfortable as one would expect a cave in the rocks to be. Temari sighed, and decided to lie down. '_Might as well get some sleep now. This place is a decent hide out, and Kami knows I need this sleep.__'_

Curling up, she tried to stay warm, and to her surprise the boy lay down beside her. The small child smiled at her and the hugged her as if it was the most natural thing to do. Again, Temari froze. She wasn't used to such physical contact, not at all. Her father had been a distant and cold man, and her brothers had always kept their distance as well. In Gaara's case, it had even been something she was happy about. Everything near him ended up dying painfully. Kankuro, on the other hand, always seemed to be more comfortable around his puppets than around actual people. No, there had only only been one person in Temari's life who had been different, and that was her mother. But it was now so long since she died that Temari hardly could remember her. She had been so young when her mother died, all due to her father's lust for power. '_For the good of the village__… __Yeah right- they never sacrifice themselves, always others…__'_

In contrast, this child seemed to love physical contact. He constantly jumped at her and hugged her, or else he would hold her hand, try to grab her kimono, or anything. As long as he was close to her, he seemed to be happy. Normally, the stoic and prudent girl would shove him away, not feeling too comfortable with the affection that gushed from the child, but now.. '_Kami, I love that warmth of his,_' were her last thoughts before she pulled him close to return the embrace, and fell asleep.

* * *

"_Hmm. Well, this is certainly new,__"_ Jiraiya frowned, as the toad sage explored the latest location where a one of the mysterious fires had been sighted. _"__These are definitely bones-__h__uman bones__, a__nd __there's a lot of them. Some of them seem to have been men and women from Suna, and several others from Iwagakure. And I would swear that that particular piece resembles the anbu utility belt, one of the new designs that that Danzo-teme introduced in Konoha. What happened here?__"_

Jiraiya moved on, carefully investigating each and every square inch.

"Footprints again, right at the heart of it all," Jiraiya sighed aloud. Was this really who he hoped it was? '_But these prints are a bit bigger than the previous ones. I would say that these would belong to a kid of six or seven, while the others were from one of about four years old.__'_Jiraiya pondered what it could mean. _"__It would be unlikely for there to be two children with this same gift. Unless Orochimaru has been messing around__… __but that isn__'__t the case either, or else his spies would not have been so interested in these incidents.__"_

He decided to do the logical thing to do for when you don't have a clue: summon someone who might have an answer. "Woah, what did you get yerself into this time," Fukasaku, the elder and great sage of the toads of Mount Myoboku, croaked in surprise upon seeing the scale of destruction around him. "Y'went a bit overboard on the fire, didn't ya, Jiriaya-chan."

"I didn't do this," Jiraiya said patiently. "I've been tracking a child who causes these large conflagrations. This is the third spot I found, and each time it is the same. A wide area is utterly destroyed, while I find some footprints of a young child in the centre of the destruction."

"I see.. And ya think this might be what Ogama Sennin foretold?"

"Yes. Just look at the ground." Jiraiya gestured.

Fukasaku did as asked, then gasped and continued his explorations for a few minutes. "What could've caused this?"

"This was no regular fire. No katon jutsu could have had this effect. Nor could any yoton, shakuton, bakuton, or any other kekkei genkai. Hell, even that crazy kekkei tota, Iwagakure's yinton, would not be able to do this."

"To leave everything devoid of chakra… this is dangerous Jiraiya-chan," Fukasaku muttered, startled by what he saw. Not once in his eight hundred years had he seen something like this. "This is extremely dangerous. This goes against the every law of nature I know… if I didn't know any better I'd tell ya this child had been absorbing all that chakra, 'cause there'd be no other way for there to be nothing left. It all vanished, Jiraiya-chan… and the terrifying part is that it seems to ignore what kind of energy it affects… it causes absolute and utter destruction of whatever it touches."

"I guessed as much," Jiraiya said grimly. "Still, after the prophecy in which it was foretold that my only family member would return, I'd say this is all Naruto's doing."

"Naruto-chan? You mean the child 'Bunta was talking about, wasn't he Minato-chan's son?" Fukasaku looked up at Jiraiya as if he thought the man had lost his mind. "Ya can't be serious… you told us that Naruto-chan was killed, two years ago."

"Naruto indeed died, Fukasaku-sama. I found what was left of his body, and buried it myself," he said, his voice shaky when he remembered what had been one of the saddest moments in his life, next to his sensei's burial, and the moment he had heard that Minato and Kushina had died. "But he was the jinchuriki of the Kyuubi- and I told you what kind of seal Minato used. I think, if the prophecy is correct, it might mean that Naruto would return in a similar fashion to the bijuu themselves, re-forming after their deaths. He was my godson; he was the only family I had. I know it might just be wishful thinking, but…"

"That would be unheard of, the dead don't return to the world of the living," Fukasaku whispered.

"Yeah, it is supposed to be impossible- and so was the use of the Shiki Fujin to split and seal a bijuu," Jiraiya retorted.

* * *

'_Hmmmmm__, so warm,_' Temari sighed, feeling almost too content. She had only just woken up and was definitely not willing to get out of bed. She felt far too comfortable, and wanted to turn around in order to pull up her blanket. But there was something latched to her. For a moment, she had forgotten she wasn't home anymore, that this wasn't her soft and comfortable bed in her own room… she spurred open her eyes and saw the boy completely snuggled up against her, his face right against her breasts. She saw that he was breathing slowly, as if he was asleep, but she knew better. He didn't need sleep. Not once in these four – or had it been five now? – days had she seen him needing to rest- nor did he eat, drink, or relieve himself like any regular human needed to do.

One part of her wanted to smack the little boy for touching her breasts like this, but the other part of her mind told her that this kid didn't mean anything wrong. She knew he would be the last one to have perverted thoughts. _'__Even if I tried to explain that this is wrong, he would not understand. He is completely clueless, like a baby, and na__ï__ve to a fault- and still those Iwa shinobi could not lay a finger on him. What is he?__'_

Remaining still for a moment, she reconsidered everything that had happened these last few days, right up to this moment. '_So I now travel with some unknown boy,__and __I don'__t even know if it IS a boy, or if it only resembles a human in the least obvious sense of the word. It took me a full day before I finally got him to wear that loincloth, or else he would still run around naked. What on earth could this kid be? No, wait, before figuring out what he is, I should name him first. But how? Asking him his name would be pointless, as he probably won__'__t even understand the concept of names anyway. And how am I going to teach him to talk in the first place?! I__'__m trained to flatten armies, not to teach a kid…__'_

She punished her mind, trying to think of some name that would fit the boy and the odd abilities he had displayed, at least to her. He had the ability to alter his own form, summoned and directed those odd flames that could apparently consume chakra, and then there was his complete lack of wit. None of it made any sense to the girl. Why did he choose to appear right at the moment that she needed to be saved? Could it just have been coincidence? Why was he so attached to her? The odds of such a thing happening at that specific moment… '_I don'__t even know what he is. A god? A devil? He definitely doesn__'__t seem to be human, but rather something more__…'_

Then she recalled a play she had seen once, when she was much younger. Her uncle had taken her and Kankuro to it, and it had featured a mysterious shape-changing spirit that had saved a woman. Temari could not recall what the play had been about exactly, but the way the performers had danced… if she closed her eyes she could still see it. _'__Genkuro. The spirit was named Genkuro_,' she recalled. '_It seems fitting enough, at least until I figure out a way to get his real name.__'_

Noticing her stirring, the boy let go of her and stood up. Seeing how dirty her short-sleeved kimono had become from the litter on the floor, Temari first spent a moment to tap the dust, grass, and blades of straw out of the black fabric. Not understanding what she was doing, the boy eagerly stepped forward to help her, and in all his innocence he figured it would be best to start with the place she couldn't see: her behind…

Needless to say, the still-groggy kunoichi did not appreciate his hands on her ass, and smacked the boy while shouting "BAKA!" to the boy's complete and utter confusion.

"Ba? Bah ki," he muttered. "Bahko?"

"No, you," she pointed at his chest, "are a baka. An idiot. And don't you dare to try and deny that fact," she joked. "You probably don't even know what the word means…"

The boy looked at her finger, which was still pointing at him, and tilted his head. "Baka."

"Yes. And it means that you are stupid," Temari sighed. "Kami, why am I even trying to talk to him?!"

The little child, whom she now named Genkuro, watched in confusion as the girl palm- smacked her own face.

* * *

"There are more tracks over here, Chiharu-sensei," a young genin reported to her jonin-sensei.

"Good work Hideko," the black-haired woman smiled. The younger girl seemed ecstatic to get praise from the woman she practically worshipped. Unlike her two male teammates, the twins Minori and Minoru, Hideko was an orphan. With no one to rely on, she had always strived to get recognition that others would normally get from their parents. Thus, from the day she was assigned to Chiharu, who had been a decently-famous jonin by Kusagakure's rather low standards, the girl had practically worshipped the very ground the woman walked upon.

"Minori! Get your brother and meet us upstream."

"Yes, sensei," the brown-haired boy replied somewhat lazily. Unlike Hideko, the twins were rather complacent, believing they had become, in their own words, 'awesome', from the moment they received their hitai-ate.

"Shall we?" Chiharu invited Hideko to walk with her. '_We__'__ve been tracking these two for a while now. From the looks of it, one must be a child, younger even then my brats, yet they are moving through this area, which is definitely impassable for normal civilians. Perhaps the older one is a shinobi, as those tracks are rather difficult to follow.. If not for the little one, we would__'__ve lost them at the crossing.__'_

"Sensei?" Hideko looked up, her yellow eyes looking at her with the usual excess of curiosity children have. "Who are these people that we are tracking?"

"I would like to know that as well," Chiharu replied patiently. "This is an area where civilians usually do not come, but it is also too close to Kusa for it to be bandits. That sort of scum usually keeps its distance from out village, wanting to avoid our patrols."

"So who is it then?"

"My guess would be a shinobi."

"But… the second person is a child, sensei," Hideku frowned. "Why would anyone with a child pass through this area?"

"Well, my guess would be to avoid detection," said Chiharu, as she went into what the twins had dubbed as 'lecture mode'; although she had attempted to act a bit motherly to the three, it only seemed to work on Hideku. "If these two belonged to Iwa, they would not be on this side of the border. The shinobi from Ame haven't been seen on the other side of their borders for a while- for some reason they are even more cooped up in their own village than usual… who knows what that Hanzo is planning. In any case, that leaves only the other villages, but those are too far away to explain why a single shinobi and a child would be here."

"What about Takigakure?"

"These two seem to be heading in the direction of Taki, yes, but I highly doubt they would be from that village."

"Why?" Hideku wondered, drawing a smile from Chiharu. '_This child truly has a thousand questions for each answer I give her.__'_

"The shinobi from Takigakure rarely go outside their nation's borders. Especially under the rule of their current leader- he is a complete coward," Chiharu explained. "No, these two travelers make no sense. If it had been a full squad of four shinobi, I would be more guarded. But these two seem more focused on staying away from other people. It's what makes me curious: why would someone trying to avoid detection travel with a child?"

"They are running away?"

"Seems likely," Chiharu agreed, smiling at the girl and ruffling through the young genin's hair. "Because if it had been a kidnapping, the child would not be walking around as freely as the tracks seem to indicate."

* * *

Temari had just given up trying to explain to the boy that she had given him a name. As expected, he didn't know what he was called, but when she tried to teach him the name 'Genkuro', he just blanked out. It appeared in the end that he was convinced that his name was 'Baka'. "No, it is Genkuro. Gen-ku-ro," she had tried. She knew she would get a major headache, if she continued this for much longer. "Fine then, have it your way Genkuro…"

"Baka," he proudly pointed at himself. "Mari," he smiled, pointing at her.

"No, it is Temari. Te-ma-ri. Temari."

"Mari!"

"Ugh.. I wonder if you just do this stuff in order to get under my skin.."

"Auh?"

"That was a yes-or-no question, baka!" Temari grunted. '_Oh that was_ _Stupid, I should quit calling him a baka, or he will never stop believing it is his name…__'_

"Yes?" the child asked, causing Temari to slap her own forehead and give up. After pausing to gather what little she still owned, Temari tried to catch the boy's attention again, so that they could be on their way. Oddly, the boy was looking intently at the entrance of their cave.

And on that very moment, she heard voices. "Sensei, the tracks are leading up to that cave," a child's voice sounded.

"Auh?" Genkuro tilted his head a little, not one bit surprised by the voice apparently, though he seemed to be unsure of what to do. Then he smiled, and before Temari could stop him, he charged out of their hiding place.

"Stop it, you idiot," she whispered urgently, trying to grab him by his shoulder in order to drag him back inside, but again failing. Well, it would not have mattered, she realized. Temari saw the curious looks of a slender black haired woman and three genin. The latter appeared to be only recently promoted to that rank, while woman was definitely a jonin. That one gave Temari the impression that she had truly earned the position, unlike some nobles who had bought their promotions; this woman seemed to have earned her rank through shedding the blood and tears that it should cost.

"Minori, Minoru, stand back," the jonin sensei ordered. "Hideku, stay next to me."

"Yes, Chiharu-sensei," the girl chirped.

"Now, tell me why a kunoichi of Sunagakure is in this region," the jonin demanded, looking into Temari's eyes. "And don't try to lie to me, that particular hairstyle is only found in your village," she calmly continued.

'_Stupid, I knew I should have changed my hair,__' _Temari cursed under her breath. "What do you want of us," she said defensively.

"What are you doing near our village?"

"Nothing. We are just passing through while on our way to Takigakure," Temari said, urging herself to remain calm. '_Damn, without my fan, fighting a jonin would be a problem. And I can never predict what that kid is going to do.__'_

"Auh?" Gekuro questioned, completely failing to understand the situation they were in.

"What's with that brat? Is he retarded?" one of the twins wondered. "Oi, sensei, shouldn't we just capture them so that they can be interrogated in the village?"

Temari pulled out a kunai she held hidden in her red sash. "Please don't, we don't want to fight, but I won't be captured without putting up some resistance either," she warned.

"Yeah right, some runaway, probably too weak to do your job as a shinobi and then fled your village," the other twin scoffed.

"Minoru, stay quiet," Chiharu barked, "Though the kid does raise a valid point," she said, looking back to Temari. "I am afraid that standard procedure demands we take any wandering shinobi back to the village, especially when their affiliation is unclear," she remarked, not seeing a hitai-ate on either Temari or Genkuro.

'_Shit, and now what…__'_ Temari gritted her teeth. The boy sensed the sudden change in atmosphere.

"No," he chirped, completely careless.

"If you do not cooperate we will have to use force," Chiharu said grimly.

"No," Genkuro chirped once more.

"Kid, shut up, you don't know what you are doing," Temari grunted, never for a moment taking her eye off her jonin opponent. "I'm sorry, but the kid doesn't know any language at all. In fact, he is completely ignorant, I only managed to teach him three words and he still can't pronounce my name properly."

"Really now," Chiharu said, not caring at all. "Minoru, Minori, you two capture that child. Do not harm him. Hideku, try to back me up, but keep out of the fight until I have had a chance to assess this girl's strength properly."

"Yes, sensei," all three replied.

"No," Genkuro said once more. But this time, his attitude had changed. In fact, it brought a shiver up Temari's spine when she heard the cold and unforgiving tone in the voice of the usually cheerful and innocent boy.

The boy felt he had seen enough. He didn't understand what they were saying, nor did he really care. It was what he felt them radiate, the intent to harm, that mattered. Their desire to end his warmth was not something that worried the boy much, though. No, what worried him is that they wanted to do the same thing to his friend- and unlike him, she was fragile. Attacks would be able to hurt her. Although he didn't know why, she was the first thing he had seen in this world that seemed familiar, and it felt as if he was meant to find her- that made her more precious than anything in the world to him. While he did not really understand the concepts of friends or foes, he did see Temari as the one person he cared about, his friend.

Temari gasped when she saw him burst into flames again. She knew what was going to happen. While the jonin knew the risks of her job, and chose to attack them, the three genin were just children who had barely left their academy. "No! Genkuro don't do-"

But her warnings never reached the boy. Chiharu had jumped forward and quickly executed a series of hand seals, the moment she saw the boy losing his physical form and bursting into flames. "Suiton: mizu kamikiri," the Kusa jonin growled.

For a moment, Temari lost hope when she saw the fast jet of water slice right through the boy, slicing even the solid rock on which he stood. For a few moments, all things remained silent. Was such a suiton jutsu enough to harm a being of fire? There was absolute silence- no chirping of birds, no wind through the leaves, nothing.

Temari barely dared to breathe, scared to break the silence, and then the already-torn soil started to crack.

"What the…" the Kusa jonin muttered. The boy who had turned into flames had vanished after her attack, but something… something huge was underneath the ground, she sensed. '_It is spreading all over… What in Kami__'__s name is this chakra? It isn__'__t strong, but how could it be this-__'_Her thoughts were cut off when the flames started to emerge from the broken ground.

Temari shouted and tried to warn the young Kusa genin who stood near her, but Temari was too late, and the young girl too slow to react. What started was the same kind of hellish inferno as the day she first met the boy. Although it felt like it had been months since Temari last saw it, she knew it had actually only been a few days ago. She knew that if Iwa's jonin were powerless to stop this, then these genin, these inexperienced and still- innocent children, would stand no chance whatsoever. "Stop it Genkuro, don't kill them," she screamed, praying the boy would listen to her. But he did not, or could not; Temari concluded that it was the latter. She did not believe that the boy was evil. However, she doubted whether he could be good either.

No, this child was plainly someone who didn't know what either good or evil meant. This was someone who did not discriminate in any way, except between the girl he somehow knew and cared about, and those who were threats to her. These four were intending to capture her, even if it meant doing harm. To his mind, harm to her was 'a threat to her warmth'. For him, his warmth, or his chakra, was his life. After all, he had no real physical form, except when he stabilized the outer layer of his chakra into a form that allowed him to touch and interact with his only friend.

Like a wild animal that would not perceive difference between acting to harm an adult or a twelve-year-old, he did not see any issue either. He saw threats and removed them. The only benefit was that he would gain the warmth that these four lost to the flames- and the jonin had a lot of 'warmth'. After all, her trained body contained far more chakra than the others, but also the physical and spiritual energy needed to produce the chakra. To Genkuro, all of this was warmth. Even if the chakra had gone through any type of nature transformation, or was derived from other sources, such as senjutsu chakra, his flames would consume it all. It would return the 'warmth' to his main body, so that he could grow.

The world should have been grateful that the boy was too innocent to intentionally gather more energy. If his inferno should cover a hidden village…

* * *

"Jiraiya-sama, wake up."

Turning around in his small tent, Jiraiya spied a small, red toad, with blue markings around his eyes and on the top of his head. "What's going on Kosuke?" he grumbled, not liking it too much that he was disturbed so early in the morning. Well, it wasn't that early, and while Jiraiya was a lot, he was never a morning person. In fact, he was, as Minato had once put it rather fittingly, the perfect example of an anti-lark.

"Fukasaku-sama sent me to report that there was some kind of disturbance north of Kusagakure no sato." Kosuke croaked.

"Where exactly?" Jiraiya was now wide awake and all business.

"In the mountain range north of Kusa, and west of where the Kannabi Bridge once stood."

"The same fire again?"

"Fukasaku-sama did not share any more details, but he said it was urgent and that I had to warn you as fast as I possibly could."

"I see. This matter indeed requires me to move fast," Jiraiya agreed. "But that isn't too far…"

* * *

Temari looked shocked as the fires dwindled and the boy slowly reverted to his 'human' form rather than his body made out of flames. She could see what little remained of the poor genin team and their jonin-sensei. "Why… Why did you kill them all?" she exclaimed.

The body turned his face towards her, and his eyes, the orbs of flowing orange flames, looked into her teal-colored eyes. "Mari!" he chirped, jumping forward and hugging her.

She distractedly patted his head, but noticed the warmth that still radiated from his fiery red hair.

"You really don't understand, how horrible it was what you just did, do you?" she said, with a sad grimace.

"Mari?" he tilted his head a little.

"Never mind, Genkuro-kun," she sighed, and she just returned the hug. '_He ca__n__'__t help being what he is, he doesn't know any better. He is so innocent that it has __bec__ome dangerous. He acted completely on instinct. I made him unpredictable, but at least he i__s __on__my__ side.__'_Temari would have had to confess that she had absolutely no idea why.

'_After I have managed to get him to learn to talk, I definitely need to teach him a thing or two about morality and restraint. I would prefer to never see this kind of excessive violence again…__ I __have already had to suffer one Gaara, never again,__'_ the kunoichi thought, fully determined to never let this child become a demon like her youngest brother.

* * *

"Crap, I'm late again," Jiraiya rumbled, only a few hours later. '_And again there are human remains… Perhaps whoever causes these flames was attacked? Or perhaps it is experimenting__… __or worse. If Fukasaku-sama was right, and these fires are meant to collect all chakra in an area, then it might be that whatever causes this things is actually feeding… But Naruto would never do something like that, would he?'_

He walked around and found a child's footprints at the centre, as usual. Though this time the ground was destroyed, and judging by the precision and force of the attack it had been a suiton jutsu. "So someone tried to attack it? Hmm, seems pointless to use a jutsu against flames that consume chakra, so this must have been done before the fire was started," Jiraiya mused aloud. '_But.. Wait, a second set of footprints? And they__'__re leading north? This is new, usually the tracks just vanished, though this place hasn__'__t been hit as hard as the previous sites.'_

He froze for a moment, just when he intended to jump off in the direction those tracks led towards. '_Damn. Seems like I am not the only one who is investigating this,_' he frowned, seeing four more pairs of footprints.

* * *

"Great, and how are we supposed to cross this," Temari asked herself. In the mountainous area they were passing through, they had been halted by a chasm floored by a rather fast-running river. It was too wide to jump, and there wasn't a real way to ford it up- or down-stream either. "Seems we need to go back and take the valley to the east. It takes us closer to the borders of the Land of Fire, but I'd rather go by that path than go in Iwa's direction…"

She glanced around, and saw the boy she had named Genkuro look back, but unlike his usual over-energetic and boisterous behaviour, he now looked pensive. "Oi, what has gotten into you, baka?" she chided him gently. Despite his rather annoying trait of being overly affectionate – something which she could absolutely not get used to – the boy had certainly grown on her. '_Only six days, and I feel like a completely different person.__'_

"Mari," he said calmly, while extending his little hand towards her.

"What do you want?"

"Mari?" he shook his hand up and down, as if he urged her to grab it. So, she did. "Auha-ah," he smiled.

"You know that doesn't mean a thing, don't you?" she sighed, but still, she was happy to see his smile return. Without any prior warning, although his gibbering might have been a warning, he suddenly started to glow with that unusual chakra of his. The warmth that started to spread through her made her light in her head as always, simply because it was too pleasant. However, she was soon distracted from her enjoyment when a sudden blinding flash of light took away her eyesight.

"What the hell," she grumbled, rubbing her eyes in an attempt to ease the stinging a little. "What was that for?!"

* * *

"Ah, dammit! How in Kami's name could this have happened?"

"What the fuck is wrong with you, fatso?"

"Tayuya…" the large man rumbled.

"Yeah?" she scoffed.

"When will you ever stop using such foul language?"

"You know as well as we do that she'll never stop doing that," Sakon (or was it Ukon? Tayuya could never tell) grunted. "So, why did you stop?"

"The signal I picked up, the one which we were tracking, it just… vanished."

"What kind of shitty sensor are you, you fucking useless, fat, pile of pig crap," Tayuya snapped.

"Shut up Tayuya," Sakon growled. "Jirobo, explain."

"There is nothing to explain," Jirobo said, looking at their group's leader. "One moment they were there, both the regular shinobi signal and that… that anomaly, and then they just vanished."

"Well fuck, now what," Tayuya snarled, severely annoyed by this seemingly pointless mission, and even more that Jirobo, their sensor, couldn't even keep track of a damn signal.

"We just keep moving and figure out where it went," Kidomaru said patiently. "After all, Kabuto said that Orochimaru-sama thought that these odd firestorms were extremely interesting."

"Agreed, our mission was given top priority," Sakon grumbled. "So quit your bitching and do as you are told, Tayuya."

And thus the group moved forward. After all, their targets had been going towards Takigakure, so it would be logical that they would keep heading that direction.

"Fucking shitheads," Tayuya swore one last time, before she took off, not wanting to be left behind by her teammates.

* * *

_Author__'__s notes:_

* * *

And that was chapter two! It was much easier to read, wasn't it? Well, a lot less complex at least. I wanted to show the re-formed Naruto first, before we start to move on with the plot- got to start somewhere, before his memories start returning, right? Though… will he be able to recognize all the memories? Let's just say he will grow a lot, both physically and mentally..

I also wanted to flesh out Temari a bit more, considering how she deviates a bit from the Temari in the manga. I don't intend to change her tough persona, not at all. Though, I do assume that she is at a bit of a disadvantage when she doesn't have her fan around- that's why she was hesitant to challenge a jonin. She's confident, but above all, she is smart. In contrast to the manga, however, she had been through two years of misery, so don't expect her to be completely similar to her canon self. This time, Gaara wasn't saved. This time, Suna and Konoha did get caught up in a full scale war. Not to mention that her village's council had no issues with using Temari as a bargaining chip.

So, that's how I arrived at this chapter. 'Naruto' and Temari trying to hide from the world. Well, she is, and he just joins her because she is the only thing he seems to recognize. Meanwhile, Jiraiya and the sound four are closing in. And Naruto being Naruto, I am quite certain he will draw a lot more attention- both the wanted and unwanted type. Oh, and the name 'Genkuro' as bit of a pun I suppose…

Credits to **Illuminated** once again! Though, I'm sure Shikamaru is less happy with him. By the way, how many people noticed who killed Choji?

Please leave a review. I certainly hope you liked the chapter, but if you didn't please share some constructive criticism. Also: check out my other story 'The Honoured Guest'.

-Z-


	3. The end of a new beginning

**Pareidolia**

* * *

**Chapter three**

**The end of a new beginning**

* * *

_"A friend is someone who gives you total freedom to be yourself-and especially to feel, or not feel. Whatever you happen to be feeling at any moment is fine with them. That's what real love amounts to - letting a person be what he really is."_

— Jim Morrison

* * *

"What the… How could they just vanish from this place?" Jiraiya muttered. "I am certain those tracks are from the other four, and that they are definitely tailing those two as well. Did they capture them?" he wondered. Looking around at the rocky terrain, he could not find any traces of battle. "No signs of struggle. And by the looks of it, the other four trackers were just as confused as I am now."

Feigning patience, the toad sage once again looked at the tracks of what he believed could be his godson. But no matter how carefully he studied them, there was nothing coming to him. It was as if they had vanished into thin air.

"Dammit! I lost him again!" Jiraiya couldn't contain his frustration much longer. _'Every time I get close, they disappear again. And now those mysterious four new-__comers __have disturbed the tracks. And they were good enough to cover their own tracks as well.'_

'_Well, I suppose I have got no other choice now. I will have to ask him for help now. Although considering his loyalties, this might go the wrong way.'_The old pervert sighed and hurried away. '_It__'__s been too long since I__'__ve last seen a decent hotspring. My fans are going to get pissed if I don__'__t publish anything soon. But I can write without research and inspiration!__'_

* * *

A lazy little fox kit hopped around, hunting for the little mice that were hiding in the bushes. Well, 'hunting' might be a big word, considering how he was still learning from his parents, but still, these mock-hunts gave him experience. The entire area was peaceful, yet still the animal remained alert. After all, there were plenty of other predators around, as well as other animals, as nature was bountiful in this valley. But most of all, he needed to pay attention to any possible prey. Those rodents were incredibly nimble, after all. And though he carried one by its tail between his jaws, the little kit wanted more, he needed to show his parents how good he was!

The poor fox never could have suspected that he would be startled by a bright flash of orange flames. In his panic, the poor creature lost the bounty he had worked so hard to collect.

"What the hell," Temari grumbled, rubbing her eyes in an attempt to ease the stinging a little. "What was that for?! Where-"

Temari never saw the fleeing mammal. Her body suddenly caught up with the events that had just occurred, and for the first few minutes, she was far too busy puking out what little food she had in her stomach. After a while, she recovered and saw the little boy she had named Genkuro. He simply watched her, curious because he didn't understand her inconvenience, she realized.

"Don't do that… again," Temari panted. "That must… have been the… the worst way of travelling… ever. _Ever_."

"Mari?" he tilted his head.

"And where are we?" she finally asked the most important question. There were no more rocks; although the area was still mountainous, it was lush compared to the bare terrain where they were before. After all, this valley was covered with trees. But that wasn't what disoriented her. The temperature, the humidity, everything was different. Looking up, Temari even noticed that the sun was not as high in the sky. '_I read about that. Our planet is round, and we travel around the sun, so if the sun has a different position… how far did he take us away?" _

Suddenly, she was distracted by the sound of something falling. Looking back, she saw her young companion lying on the ground. "Genkuro? What are you doing? Hey!" she became afraid when she saw his pale face. He was panting, sweating as if he was completely exhausted. '_How much chakra did that move cost him?__'_

"Ma…ri," he smiled weakly. And then he fell unconscious.

* * *

For once, Temari was thankful for the extensive training regime her father had put her through. The survival skills her teachers had taught her made it relatively easy to build a makeshift encampment. A tent, mostly made of loose rock and boulders, along with branches of wood, made a good place for the two of them to rest in. Well, it was a bit cramped, Temari conceded, but at least it was dry.

Despite the respite, Temari was not really enjoying her 'break'. She had been on the run ever since she was freed from the grasp of her ninja village, and still felt the need to continue running. There were two new problems, as well. The first one was that she had no clue whatsoever about where little Genkuro had teleported them. The second problem was even more urgent: Genkuro wouldn't wake up.

'_He has been sleeping for three days now. I don__'__t get it. He never needed to sleep before, did he?__'_ Temari punished her brain to figure out what she could do to help the boy. But no matter in which direction she reasoned, everything came down to the same answer: she had no clue who or what he the boy was. The only thing she did pick up on was that he did not radiate the same warmth as he usually did. Rather than heat up, which sick people usually did, he cooled down. And every now and then, he moved around, mumbling as if having a bad dream. Apparently they were dreams of sand, floating and crushing- nightmares.

During the nights, he cooled down to such a degree that she had covered him to keep him warm, using moss, straw, the few spare clothes she still had with her, and even her own body heat. She did whatever she could to keep him warm. Concepts like dignity were long forgotten, erased by the concerns that clouded her mind. Her entire life, she had been ordered to be her father's perfect soldier. She was never allowed to be just a sister. Especially not towards Gaara, at first because he was her father's favourite pet, and later on because he was too insane.

'_He saved me, he cared for me when no one else did, and his love is unconditional.. I can__'__t let him be hurt because of me.__'_

* * *

On the fifth day after Genkuro fell into his coma, Temari set out again to catch some food. The valley they were pausing in was covered with trees and bushes, and the absence of proper roads made it a bit hard to move. Still, the animal trails that wound throughout the forest were enough for her to move quickly, and she was actually happy that there were no signs of human civilization to be seen. Ten minutes from their temporary home, Temari had found a lake two days ago. She had used this place to catch fish ever since.

It was fortunate, because fish was about the only thing she could catch. '_This place is littered with rodents, but why can__'__t I find any larger animals? I found tracks of foxes and deer, and even heard them, but somehow they can elude me. Figures… I__'__m practically a jonin, and cannot even capture a damn deer.__'_

At least the fish were easy to capture. With a long branch, some ninja wire, and a fat worm as bait, she could catch a few big carps- nice fat ones too. '_It would be easier to know whether Genkuro even eats in the first place.__'_ She had looked inside his mouth, but apart from the teeth, tongue, and all other things that were usually there, he had no swallow reflex at all. '_Does he even know how to eat?__'_

On her way back from fishing, Temari looked up at the trees. '_At least there won__'__t be a shortage of chestnuts when autumn comes,__'_ she smiled. The memory of the sweet chestnuts that had been a delicacy in Sunagakure always made her happy. It made her think of her mother. She could barely remember the woman, yet for some stupid reason she could always recall that it had been her who treated Temari to that rare food. They were rare, because there were no chestnut trees in the Land of Wind, and the costs of importing them were way too high compared to the limited demand. There were hardly any merchants who brought them along. But when they did, Temari had always bought at least part of the stock.

Moving on, Temari saw the makeshift house – well, it looked more like a tent – where Genkuro would likely still be sleeping. '_What is that high pitched whining?__'_ she wondered. Moving the large piece of tree bark that served as a door, she saw three fox kits staring at her. Usually, the sight of the startled little foxes that stared terrified at her would have made her heart melt with a cuteness overload, but there was something else stirring behind the furry red critters.

"Mari!" Genkuro smiled, even though his voice was still weak.

Unceremoniously dropping the two carps she caught earlier, Temari rushed towards him. "You're awake!"

She ignored the fleeing foxes in much the same way as she had failed to spot one earlier, when they first arrived.

* * *

"For fuck's sake, Tayuya, stop your whining!" Sakon shouted.

"Yes, we all know there is no track at all," Kidomaru voiced his boredom.

"Then why are we still looking?" Tayuya growled. "We are just wandering around aimlessly. What, do you think we will find them by chance?"

"Those were our orders," Sakon growled back.

"Ugh.. Kami be damned, I can't stand you fuckers," Tayuya said in exasperation. "We have been just jumping through trees for three fucking weeks now, and that moronic fat-ass isn't even capable of finding a shred of that weird chakra!"

"Hey! It isn't like any of us could have expected them to disappear like that," Jirobo tried to defend himself, even though he was equally frustrated. "We agreed that it was just some shunshin no jutsu related trick, and that we could find tracks nearby. How could we have known that they could, well, disappear?"

"Stop complaining, and start searching," Sakon grumbled. "We have our orders. Orochimaru-sama wants to capture whoever creates those crazy fires, no matter what."

Tayuya grimaced, and spit at the ground. "Fine." Not that she liked it, but she had no choice in the matter. She was bound by her seal, so disobedience was no option. "I still don't see why we don't just split up and find the fucker ourselves."

"We were warned that this guy would be dangerous," Sakon began to grow tired of all the petty arguments. "And if he really could travel that far away with a single jutsu, I dare say it is proof enough that we would have difficulty handling him individually. Besides, apart from Jirobo here, none of us are sensors, are we?"

"How do you know that our target is a 'he'?" Kidomaru interjected.

"He can't be female. Look at Tayuya, women are useless on the battlefield."

"Fuck you Sakon, you damn misogynist fucktard!"

* * *

"Fish, fox, nut, tree, stone, bodder, baba," Genkuro said, after Temari pointed at the respective objects or animals.

For some reason, two of the fox kits kept coming back to the boy, and he seemed to like them, she noted. Temari found that they fled as soon as she even moved a hair in their direction or if their parents called for them – something they did from a distance, as they were not as trusting as their kits. "Almost," Temari smiled approvingly. "This," she pointed at one of the boulders that shaped their shelter. "Is a boulder, not a 'bodder'. So, boulder. Boul-der. Repeat."

"Riipit?" Genkuro tilted his head a bit. And suddenly he understood what she meant, for after all, she had used the word quite often. "Blodder?" she shook her head, and he knew he had to try again. "Bladder?" no, that wasn't it either. "Boller. Bolder?"

"Almost," she smiled.

"Boulder?" he asked.

"Yes!" she smiled widely.

Proud of himself, he jumped at her for a hug, startling the kit that had been resting on his lap in the process.

"Now, and what is this?" she pointed at their front door.

"Baba?" he saw her shaking her head.

"Bark," she demonstrated.

"Babark? Blark? Bak. Baka!"

"Bark!" She slapped her own face. '_Yes, you are a baka… I seriously need to stop calling him that.__'_

"Bark!" he exclaimed happily. "Bark bark bark bark bark!"

The two kits watched the boy in confusion, before they joined him with their own 'wow wow wow' calls. It created a weird choir that would give Temari one hell of a headache if she let it continue for too long. So, she bopped the boy on his head.

"Good boy," Temari sighed. "Now, campfire," she pointed at the collection of twigs outside the door.

"Odicky," he smiled.

"It is pronounced: oki doki, you moron," she grumbled. Still, she couldn't be angry at him. In these past two weeks he had learned at a remarkable speed. Even though he still messed up often.

He looked back at the blonde, and smirked mischievously. "Oki doki, you moron," he repeated with a cheeky grin.

She looked a bit baffled as he darted out of the house. '_I walked right into that one, didn__'__t I?__'_

Still, Temari couldn't put into words how much she enjoyed this newfound freedom. This was a new beginning, without pressure from her late father, without the threat of her insane little brother, and without a council that would sell her off to some vile old piece of trash who would gladly defile her in order to satisfy his own lust. No longer did Temari live in a world at war. She had found peace and happiness, and all thanks to one little boy. Well, 'boy' was perhaps not the right word, but she didn't really care who or what he was at this point.

He loved her without any reserve, and she couldn't help but answer those feelings. Genkuro was the little brother she had always dreamt of having. '_And he__'__s so clueless that he needs an older sister to educate him! Though I__'__m stunned by the speeds at which he learns things. It__'__s almost as if he already knew some things and I just help him remember it.__'_

* * *

He didn't get it. The world had a strange rhythm, with the light of day alternating with the dark of night at a regular pattern. But why did they have to lie down, slow down their breathing, and do nothing? It made no sense to him, but Temari told him that sleep was important. It was another of the strange things that were happening. '_Sleep,_' he thought, recalling how she pronounced the word. But, even when he understood that this 'waiting until the night is over' thing was called sleep, he had no clue what it was for.

"I don' wanna," Temari mumbled in her sleep. "I don' wanna. No. No sand, Gaara, no sand…"

He looked at the young woman who looked as if she was haunted by something. '_Sleep is strange,_' he thought, as he reached out to touch her forehead. The simple touch, the spark of chakra that always followed with it, calmed the blonde down. She snuggled up against him, and smiled.

Genkuro gasped a bit when she took away his breath. Though, if he had been a little older, he would definitely have enjoyed her warm, albeit somewhat tight, embrace.

* * *

Temari felt Genkuro's attentive eyes as she ate a breakfast of fruits with the fish leftovers of the day before. With what she could find in the forest, she had seasoned the carp a little, and even cold it tasted pretty good. While she did still feel hungry most of the time, she had at least regained a lot of weight during these last few weeks of peace and tranquillity. Even before the ordeal of running away, Temari had been too depressed to eat properly, due to the forced marriage and all.

"Why do you food?" he asked.

"The verb is 'eat', Genkuro-kun," Temari corrected him with a strict tone. "I eat my food because I am hungry. People need food, because they convert it into the energy the need to move around."

Genkuro looked a bit dazzled. "Coffert?"

"I eat this fish," she pointed to the fish, "Because my stomach tells me I need food," she pointed at her stomach. "If I don't eat, I'll get weak and I die."

"It angry is at you?"

Temari laughed gently. "No, silly, my stomach is not angry. It is just the way the world works. Everything needs food. Just like how those foxes of yours constantly eat those mice-thingies."

"What hunger like?"

"The correct way to say it is 'what does it feel like to be hungry'," Temari corrected him. "Kami, how should I describe it? I suppose you could say that it is the uncomfortable feeling in your stomach, which is caused by the need for food. It weakens you to lack the proper nutrients, proper vitamins and minerals, so your body tells you that you need to consume food. You need to eat to stay strong," she added, seeing how he wondered what she meant.

He looked down at his stomach. "I hunger?"

"I don't know if you are hungry," Temari sighed. "Do you know what it is to eat?"

Genkuro looked conflicted, and visibly strained himself in an attempt to understand the odd confusion he had about the subject. Part of him felt like it was something he should recognize, and part of him… it frustrated him that he felt so torn about it. It was even more frustrating that he couldn't transform the feeling to words, so that he could explain it to his companion and teacher. Suddenly, he remembered a strange smell. The oddest thing about it was that he was certain he never smelled such a thing before, and still he could remember it; it seemed related to the subjects of hunger and food. But why?

"Ramen?"

"…wait what?" Temari frowned. '_I never taught him that word, I'm sure of that. Then again, he might have seen it before we met… but he never gave any indication he knew any words at all.'_

Genkuro shrugged. "Ramen." The odd word made him longing for something, but he couldn't understand it. It was as if it was a memory from someone else, but somehow in _his_ head.

"Where did you learn that word?"

"Learn?"

"Ramen. Where did you see ramen?"

Genkuro shrugged. His confusion only grew as he tried to imagine how it looked like. "Nose," he simply said. "I nose ramen."

"Smell, Genkuro. Not 'nose', but 'smell'. But where did you smell ramen?" Temari frowned a bit. '_This makes no sense at all. He didn't see ramen, yet he smelled it? Where? When?_'

The little redhead shrugged, and his confusion was obvious to Temari.

"You talked to other people before you met me?"

Tilting his head a bit, Genkuro considered what he could answer. Yes, he had met people, but all who saw him died. Only now he took a physical form, he didn't automatically erase the others. After all, controlling his flames all the time while Temari was close was too difficult, and he did not want to burn her. "No. Mari," he pointed at her. "And Baka," he pointed at himself. "No else one."

Sighing, she tried to correct him once more. "You are Genkuro," she pointed at his chest. "Your name is not Baka, you hear?" He nodded, and then hopped away. "Wait, where are you going?" she shouted.

"Hungry!" he smiled. "Baka hungry!"

A drop of sweat could be seen at the back of Temari's head. '_He'll never get that out of his system, will he?'_

Did she notice the two fox kits racing after the boy? Not even once.

* * *

Irritable in the knowledge that they had to report their failure, the infamous Sound four sped through Oto no Kuni, the Land of Sound. The former Land of Rice Fields was now completely under Orochimaru's control and the quartet could move through the area unhindered by foolish notions such as stealth and caution. At least, they could until Jirobo suddenly stopped. Kidomaru cursed as he crashed into his much larger teammate. "What the hell, fat-ass? Is this your idea of a joke? Your sense of humor stinks!"

"I sensed it again. That direction," Jirobo said distractedly. It had been faint, but he had definitely felt it. He was sure of it.

"How far?" Sakon tried to take control over the situation.

"Not sure. It is hard to tell with that guy," Jirobo mumbled. "Perhaps it was a mistake not to bring Karin along. She is a way better sensor than I will ever be."

"And prove Kabuto right about us not being able to properly handle a mission since Kimimaro left our ranks? Hell no, that piece of trash always tries to talk us down in front of Orochimaru-sama."

"Well, are we going to be whining around, or shall we move? Come on you bunch of shitheads!" Tayuya said in her unique, not so elegant way.

* * *

"Genkuro! Dammit, where are you?" Temari had been searching and shouting for hours now. "First he says he is hungry, and then he vanishes. What does he think he is doing?"

Walking further into the woods, she became a little anxious. He had never wandered off like that before. She hated to admit it, but she felt lost without the kid around her. '_Ugh, it seems I always need to play the elder sister role to someone…'_

Every now and then, she heard something move behind her- and every time, she went looking. But other than the flash of a small red fox-tail, she saw nothing- no Genkuro at least, and that was all that mattered.

Again, there was something rustling in the bushes. "Ok, you annoying foxes, get out where I can see you, or stop mocking me," she snapped. A worried older sister is not the type of person who has much patience. But instead of seeing another fox tail, a red-haired blur charged at her.

Tackled by a red-haired blur, Temari gasped for air as the wind was knocked out of her.

"Mari!"

"You're back," Temari panted.

"No hungry," Genkuro put his chest forward as if he needed to show her how proud he was of himself. With a cute and short yip, one of the fox kits jumped at the boy. Entangled in a mass of arms, legs, and a red fox tail, the boy rolled on the ground with laughter.

"What is it with these crazy foxes," Temari mumbled, unable to keep the smile from her face. At least, until her maternal instincts kicked in. "All right buster, time for a bath. You're covered in dirt."

The confused look on the boy's face only made her laugh again. However, the fox kit apparently understood very well what she was going to do, because it quickly scurried away after barking rather agitatedly.

* * *

"Oi, fat-ass, are they close?"

"Yes, they are in this area. So suppress your chakra as much as you can."

"Then we'll walk in on foot, like regular civilians. No chakra usage at all," Sakon ordered.

* * *

Yawning and stretching herself out, Temari was happy that she finally could get some sleep. Getting the boy to bathe had turned to be a rather taxing job. In the end, she had been so fed up with his struggling to get out that she just stepped into the water along with him. Due to the lack of spare clothing, although she didn't need to wear as much in this warmer climate compared to the multiple layers of clothing she wore prior to arriving, she still had gone wearing nothing more than her underwear. '_Well, who cares about things like shame anymore? I mean, the kid practically sleeps in my bed, so there isn't much to be embarrassed about,'_ Temari tried to convince herself. Still, the way the boy clamped on to her when she dragged him in the water was an odd feeling.

'_I have to teach him about proper manners. I wouldn't be surprised if he would act the same way if we meet other people. And I don't want to draw any unwanted attention.'_

Despite the fact that he was still pouting a little due to her dragging him into offensively-cold water, Genkuro cuddled her as usual. Temari didn't bother to protest about him invading her personal space; no, she liked the warmth he radiated way too much. And whatever he had done before he had returned, his aura was stronger than ever. As such, Temari, formerly of the Hidden Sand, dozed off.

Sadly, her satisfaction did not last. With a loud crash, the support pillars of their 'house' came down, covering the two with a layer of dust and rubble.

* * *

"Kidomaru, you moron! Did I tell you to attack?"

"No Sakon, but I did it anyway. Whoever this guy is, it will definitely be a good game to take him down."

"Fucking retard, we could have reasoned with him, but no… You had to go out and make that poor excuse for a tent full of arrows."

"Really Tayuya? You of all people are starting to talk about reasoning?" Kidomaru frowned.

"Ugh, what's done is done. Let's just take those two down. We are supposed to bring the one responsible for those flames to Orochimaru-sama. The other can die, for all I care," Sakon grumbled

"This should be fun," Kidomaru chuckled. Jirobo looked at his enthusiastic teammate and shook his head in exasperation, wondering why he was in a team with three – or four if you'd count Sakon and Ukon as separated entities – complete lunatics.

"'The fuck… there's a chick? Not too bad looking either. I love the nightdress!"

"Kidomaru, did I ever tell you that you're a fucking sexist?" Tayuya sighed. '_Why do I have to work with these filthy pieces of trash?'_

"Yup, every time I try to take a peek when you're taking a shower…" Kidomaru chuckled.

* * *

"What the hell just happened?" Temari groaned as she pulled herself free. Somehow, Genkuro had shielded her. '_Did he notice something? Are we under attack?'_

Gone was the carefree and innocent look. The stern look on his seven-year-old face startled Temari. "Mari, no."

"What?"

Suddenly he cringed, and grabbed his red-haired head and groaned as if he was in pain. "Genkuro? What's happening? Are you all right? Talk to me!"

"Sand…" the boy panted, his fiery eyes spurred open widely. "Sand."

"Sand? What are you-"

"Yo!" A red-haired girl stepped out of the shadows that filled the forest in this time of twilight. "Two choices, cooperation or death, what will it be?"

"Who are you?"

"It doesn't matter who we are, what matters is our plan," a weird two-headed boy remarked.

"Technically, it isn't our plan, but I like the sound of that line. Sounds like it should be used in a movie or something," a six-armed boy chuckled.

"Why the hell are you freaks attacking us?" Temari took a defensive posture and grabbed a few kunai from the rubble.

"Mari," Genkuro shook his head.

"The blonde chick seems normal," a large and heavy-built boy remarked. "It is the boy who we have to capture."

"Sweet, then I call dibs on the chick!" the six-armed boy exclaimed. He jumped forward, his six hands covered in some sticky substance, and tried to…

Well, no one would ever know what he tried to do. Before Sakon, Ukon, Tayuya, or Jirobo even understood what was happening, a wall of flames erupted. The flames were so bright in the falling darkness that they had to avert their eyes. They didn't need to see to know what happened. The screams of pain and terror from their teammate seemed to nearly physically stab them through their hearts.

The boy they were supposed to capture stepped forward through the wall of fire. "No touch Mari," he said icily.

Tayuya looked into the boy's eyes. '_What the hell? Those aren't eyes at all. His eye sockets are just filled with flames. I never saw such a freak before.'_

"Jirobo?" Sakon demanded.

"That kid isn't very strong. Chunin level perhaps. But his chakra is strange. Unnatural, even by our standards. I'm not kidding Sakon, this thing is not human. Even that crazy sand demon Orochimaru-sama used a couple of years ago was more human than this."

"Level one?"

"Two."

"That weird eh? Well okay, after what happened to Kidomaru…"

Genkuro watched with some curiosity as his three opponents suddenly had strange black markings all over their bodies. Next, he felt their chakra went through the roof. It wasn't the amount of chakra that worried him, but rather the vile nature of the chakra, and how it originated from a seal which corrupted and defiled the users. "Bad."

* * *

Temari watched in horror as she saw the charred body of the six-armed boy who had tried to attack her. A wall of flames separated her from Genkuro and the other three attackers. "Why did he tell me to go?" the blonde wondered. "Unless… he is going to engulf this entire area in flames, isn't he?"

She quickly grabbed the bag and the rest of her clothes. '_If he gets serious, I need to get out of here. Though, why would he warn me? Against the shinobi of Iwa he managed to control his flames so that it didn't hurt me at all. What could be different about this… of course, his body changed. It must somehow inhibit his control.' _She turned and decided that it would be best to do as the boy asked.

"Not so fast, bitch," the six-armed teenager panted. Somehow, despite all the pain which the fire had inflicted upon him, he was able to move. He struggled to stand up, and groaned as his three left arms fell apart. It was the side of his body which had taken the brunt of the damage.

'_Dammit. I underestimated the level of that kid. Did he find some kind of cheat code? Ah crap, my body has sustained far too much damage. Transforming will be impossible now. But I can always take down that blonde sweetheart. A hostage could be necessary…'_

Kidomaru, however, made one crucial mistake. Temari was not as helpless as he had thought. Before the spider-like underling of Orochimaru even had a solid foothold, Temari lunged at him with a kunai.

"Wow, watch it bitch!" Kidomaru cursed as he stumbled back.

Not giving him any time to recover, Temari exploited her opponent's lack of balance. Two kunai pierced his knees, forcing him back to the ground. Before the boy could even do so much as curse at her, Temari slammed a third kunai right through his cranium.

Kidomaru died before he could even fall over.

* * *

The girl's red hair turned pink, her skin darkened and she grew several horns on top of her head. Despite her change, however, Genkuro found her the most interesting as he could feel the conflict in her. It was a conflict that wasn't there in the others. He felt how the others completely surrendered themselves to the foul chakra, especially the two-headed boy who now had reddish skin and a horn on each head. They felt like the absolute opposite of himself; beings of cold and dark chakra, rather than warm and bright like his own.

Genkuro suddenly realized that these three were a threat to his warmth, and to Temari's warmth as well. While the first fact was a bit humorous to him, the second enraged him. People had tried to hurt him before, but always failed. However, Temari could be hurt. In his eyes, she was fragile, even though she was strong at the same time. But the thought of anyone hurting her…

Tayuya saw the change in the flames-that-acted-like-eyes. Instinctively, she stepped back. Unlike the other two, she was a long-range fighter, and felt relatively vulnerable. Even if she wasn't a long-range type, she would still have stepped back in this case. "Jirobo! What the fuck is this brat? He makes Orochimaru's killing intent look like a fucking joke!"

Sakon turned and saw the sweat on Jirobo's face. "Cowards," Ukon scoffed. "Let us handle this. We were ordered to try to capture him unharmed, after all."

Jirobo nodded, yet still gathered more and more chakra so that he could grow taller. And he already had the size of a small giant. "The blonde chick is running away," he remarked.

"Let her, she isn't our target."

"As you wish."

Genkuro inhaled deeply. He knew he didn't need to breathe, his body didn't require it, but he did it anyway, as if by instinct. He frowned as he saw the two-headed creature split into two separate forms. They circled around him, positioning themselves on his left and right in an attempt to outflank him. For a moment, Genkuro wondered if they would be going after Temari, but his fears proved to be unfounded. Still, he knew he had to wait before switching to the attack himself. '_Mari is too close,_' he mused. If he released his flames now, especially after all the warmth he had gathered earlier, it would become too great. And he knew that the tiny flames would be insufficient to handle these opponents.

The best thing for him to do was to stall them until Temari had moved far enough away, but he wasn't fast enough. He had intended to jump backwards, so that the wall of fire would at least hold them off, but Sakon and Ukon were far faster than him. Genkuro's inexperience had given away his intentions as well, because the twins had moved before he had even left his position.

"Gotcha," the twins echoed each other.

Looking around him, Genkuro couldn't see his two opponents. But the red-skinned giant smirked at him.

"You shouldn't look so far way," a voice sounded.

"Yes, we are much closer," the second giggled. "Much, much closer."

"And now you will feel pain," the first shared his brother's joy.

"Only till he passes out," the second warned. "No further."

"Yes. You're no fun at all, you know that?"

But as the boy writhed in pain, Tayuya felt her unease grow. '_Why am I feeling like this? It's just another piece of trash that we need to take care of- even if this kid is the weirdest kid I've ever seen. But why am I so anxious? It makes no sense for me to… his eyes!'_ she spurred open her own eyes as she saw the boy's flaming eyes change.

Genkuro felt the physical pain, and to him it was the strangest sensation he ever felt. His newly formed body was different from his former body-of-flames. And the longer he resided in it, the more he grew accustomed to it. And he felt that something was off. Something was lacking about his body. He felt incomplete.

"Sakon, Ukon, get out there, now!" the now pink haired demon like girl shouted in panic.

As the thoughts and emotions flowed through Genkuro, he was reminded of his nightmares. The pain triggered it. The dream in which an unfathomable pressure destroyed his body. Compared to that dream, this pain was nothing. But at the same time, Genkuro was reminded how differently his body had felt in that dream.

Only now did he realize how his eyes had started to itch, and how he felt the skin around them crumble. This is what had spooked the pink hair. This was a change. But could he cast aside his body? '_For Mari,'_ he felt his determination grow as he thought about the blonde girl who looked after him like that. '_I will no longer give warmth. Now I take warmth!'_

Jirobo's earlier confidence had turned to confusion when Tayuya had panicked, but Sakon and Ukon hadn't realized what was going on. In fact, none of them could fathom it. But Jirobo's confusion quickly became horror as their target, a seven year old boy, suddenly _lost_ his body.

'_It is as if he is shedding his skin, just like Orochimaru-sama,'_ the awed tubby thought.

As Genkuro's physical body broke down, his true body, the body made out of flames, emerged. And Sakon and Ukon were still inside. Tayuya gritted her teeth as she heard the twins panicked screams, which only lasted for a second, after which they were consumed by the boy's flames.

'_First Kidomaru, and now those two morons. How the hell could we be losing to a boy? And why the fuck is he suddenly growing like that?'_

The last two of the Sound Four watched perplexed as the boy-made-of-flames grew to the size of an adult all of a sudden.

"Jirobo, use your Doro Domu now! Our only chance is to trap him and drain him of his chakra!"

Jirobo nodded dumbly, his mind still having trouble keeping up with what he had just seen. "How could his power grow like this?"

"What do you mean grow? Did his absorb the chakra of Sakon and Ukon?"

Nodding, Jirobo instantly realized that Tayuya's plan would be perfect. If this boy, this thing, grew by absorbing chakra, he would also be diminished when someone stole that chakra from him. Slamming his hands on the ground, the hulking figure of Jirobo executed his prized technique. It was a technique only few in Iwagakure could master, and the very reason why he, despite his relative weakness, had been added to the Sound Four.

"Doton Kekkai: Doro Domu," Jirobo growled, pushing all the chakra he could muster into the 'earth prison dome of magnificent nothingness', the infamous stone barrier.

Distracted by the changes in his body, Genkuro reacted too late to escape the chakra absorption technique.

* * *

Temari suddenly halted and looked back. "I felt his power grow. I don't know how, but I felt it! But why did he disappear now?"

Desperate, Temari ran through the various options in her mind, and blanched at the conclusion. Either he had been captured and his chakra was being suppressed somehow, or he had been killed – no matter how unlikely the latter seemed to her.

For a moment, Temari considered what she could do about it, and then threw all caution in the wind.

"I'm not just going to let you face this on your own." she declared.

* * *

Tayuya anxiously watched as Jirobo started to drain their target of chakra. '_The fat-ass caught him, but still… that brat is too weird. I'd better summon my Doki before something-'_

Before she could finish the thought, she saw Jirobo shrink. "Oi, what are you doing fatty?"

Panting, Jirobo grimaced and kept focusing on the stone dome.

"Hey, don't you fucking ignore me!"

"He's strong. He's resisting," he muttered.

'_Okay, now I'm definitely summoning them,'_ Tayuya grimaced. "Kuchiyose no Jutsu!"

Three hulking demonic beings emerged from the smoke. Each of them looked different, and each wielded a different weapon. All three were very large and muscular, about the same size Jirobo had before he started to shrink down due to his depletion of chakra. On the left of Tayuya stood a demon with a dark-green full-body suit and hair which covered its entire head and face, and the creature wielded a giant metal mace. The one behind her was shirtless, but wore dark pants. It was bald, blindfolded, and scarred, but looked menacing due to the thorn-like weapons on its arms. The one on her right was the most disturbing though, its armless upper body covered in bandages, and it held its head in a very awkward position. They all had one thing in common though: each demon had a purple, rope-like belt tied in an inverted bow around its waist, exactly like Tayuya and the rest of the Sound Four.

Controlling the three behemoths with the movements of her fingers, Tayuya steered them towards the now-crumbling stone dome.

"Let's see you get out of this. Even if you somehow break Jirobo's grasp, my Doki will drain you!"

Suddenly, Jirobo screamed in pain. Tayuya turned toward him and saw his cursed seal recede. "Cancel the jutsu! Cancel it before you lose all-"

A loud explosion silenced her, and if it had not been for her Doki, the pieces of rock flying around would have hit her too. She gasped at the sight before her. The flame-clad boy had changed to the size of an adult. The assigned target had changed once more. "What on earth is he?"

* * *

At bit before Tayuya spoke those words, Genkuro felt his 'warmth' leaving his body. Trapped inside the barrier, he tried to break out but found that it would just repair itself every time he damaged the thing. In addition, he was distracted by the changes in his body. Well, it was not a body in the usual sense… He had fully 'shed' his body by now, and his flames filled the narrow space in which he was trapped, but unlike before, his body was darker. Not that it was a corporeal form, but it wasn't just a regular flame either, like before. And that weird itch in his neck was irritating him as well.

All the distractions did something that Genkuro hadn't experienced before: they made him truly angry. It was not like before, where he just burned away whatever annoyed him. This sensation was much deeper: a black, bottomless pit of rage and hatred. From that dark place welled up images, sounds, smells… and a cacophony of emotions and memories flooded him, all with one theme in common: death.

He recalled a village, mostly burned, with men, women, and children impaled at the central market square; a field, reddened by the blood of hundreds. He heard the screaming of a woman, as a man did something unspeakable to her, then a child, as she was tortured for information she did not have. He watched the elderly slaughtered, only because they could not fend for themselves. With all the torture, murder, oppression, and slavery, it was as if he saw a summary of human evil.

With his limited experience, Genkuro couldn't understand a thing about it. It overwhelmed him, and terrified him, to think that creatures could inflict such horrible pain on each other. Then he recalled how Temari had looked when he first met her, how she sometimes whimpered in fear, due to some kind of nightmare. It was the same look of those left alive on the slaughter fields.

"Did she see too?" he mumbled. "Did she have to suffer this?" His flames retracted to his now darkened body, Genkuro lifted his arms- and pushed out all the rage he felt welling up within him.

* * *

Temari watched in terror as she saw the stone dome blew apart. Flames engulfed the nearby area, and Temari counted herself lucky she hadn't stood next to him. She saw the transformed assailant collapse while the fire consumed his flesh and instantly disintegrated the bones. However, what really drew her attention was Genkuro. Standing amidst the maelstrom of fire, his body had become black as shadow itself. It was not black like the dark-skinned clans in Kumogakure, but more like a black silhouette that sucked in all the light. With his arms wide, the fire eventually swirled back into his body. Then the sensation really hit her: a massive killing intent.

'_Not regular KI either, no, this is more something like only the Bijuu could radiate.'_ She recalled some of the most unpleasant memories of her youngest brother. But even in those horrible moments, she felt her brother's emotions which had been the basis from which the Bijuu existed; but Genkuro didn't seem human at all.

Gone was the gentle and carefree warmth she loved so much about him. It had become an unrelenting and all-consuming black rage: a power that blew away all that opposed him. It was shocking enough to bring her to her knees. '_Was this why he told me to go away? Is this the real Genkuro?'_ Temari thought as she felt the tears pricking in her eyes. '_Is this really what he is? It can't be! All of this could not have been a lie, could it? No… they forced him to do this. She did this!'_

* * *

"What on earth is he?" Tayuya whispered in awe. Staring at the pitch-black man into which the originally flame-clad boy had transformed. The last member of the Sound Four stood frozen as she looked into the man's eyes. The only things which hadn't changed about him were the constantly-flowing orbs of flames which acted as his eyes.

Tayuya realized that Jirobo had pushed him too far. The sheer killing intent froze her, which was actually surprising the last corner in her mind which still functioned rationally. '_I am used to feeling Orochimaru's murderous aura, how the hell can this feel even more inhuman?'_

Before she even got a chance to order her rather restless Doki to attack, Tayuya suddenly got slammed into the ground.

"Leave Genkuro alone, you bitch!"

Dazed and confused, Tayuya had to make an effort to open her eyes. "Damn that bitch can punch," she muttered.

Seeing their summoner in harm's way, the Doki acted without command and charged at Temari. Knowing full well how dangerous they were when going on a rampage, Tayuya frantically searched for her flute. '_Dammit! Why is everything going wrong in my fucked- up life?'_

While Tayuya searched, Temari was forced to go to her limits in order to dodge the assault from the three massive demons. Ducking under a slash of the blindfolded one with the thorn-like weapons, she suddenly stood in a shadow. In a fraction of a second, many things happened at once.

The massive club which was swung down at Temari, suddenly exploded, and all three of the Doki flew backwards as they were all hit by fiery projectiles. Set aflame, the demons had no other choice but to dispel, or be consumed the by flames. Meanwhile, Genkuro lifted Tayuya from the ground. For a second, Temari was convinced he would brutally murder the pink-haired girl, and by the look on her face Tayuya thought the same.

But Genkuro saw something different in her eyes. In fact, she was different altogether. Unceremoniously dropping her on the ground, the sixteen-year-old pinkette – in daily life a redhead – looked up in fear. '_What the fuck is he doing? Just kill me already!'_ she gritted her teeth and jumped up in an attempt to hit him, but her arm just passed through him. "The fuck? Are you intangible too? If you are that broken, then just quit playing. What are you waiting for? I don't care anymore! End me, dammit! Kill me!"

'_Her fist passed through him, and he didn't burn her?' _Temari wondered. '_Is he going to spare her life? But why? She is rude and aggressive, and that chakra she emits is as evil as it can get__…'_

In a flash of movement, Genkuro appeared behind Tayuya and put his hand in her neck. It only took a little while, but she cried out in pain and anguish as if he incinerated her. Tayuya dropped to the ground. And by now the girl had become unconscious. Her torture had lasted only a minute, but to Temari, her desperate cries seemed to have lasted much longer.

"Why did you spare her life?" Temari wondered. "After you tortured her like that?"

"I did not."

Temari walked to the red-haired girl. Gone was the dark tint of her skin. Gone were the horns on her head. The transformation had been undone. Temari kneeled down and felt her wrist. "She is still alive, she has a heartbeat."

Genkuro shrugged. "Come."

Looking at the pitch-black man Genkuro had become, Temari shuddered as he touched her. He wasn't warm and gentle any longer. Just like his fire was extinguished, his happiness and innocence seemed to have disappeared. "Are you still all right?" she asked worried about his state of mind.

"We go."

"Wait, we can't leave her like this. We should either help her or kill her."

"Why?"

* * *

_Author__'__s notes:_

And that's it for today! Seems like little Genkuro is already starting to remember who he really is. Though, perhaps he remembered more than he would like? I know that the ending is a little bit abrupt, but this chapter was rather hard to write. It ended like that because I still haven't decided on Tayuya's fate. So I ask you:

**Should I kill Tayuya, or should she live? **

The choice is yours. Anyway, time for reviews now! Was it worth the effort to write this chapter, or did I waste my time? If there is anything you liked or disliked, please share it!

On a side note; I included some fox kits in the chapter, and did you ever wonder how they sound like? I found a website where you can find the sounds they make. I've added it to my profile page.

Credits for beta-ing go to **Illuminated**-sensei!

-Z-


	4. The mirror maze

**Pareidolia**

* * *

**Chapter four**

**The Mirror Maze**

* * *

_"It is time to reflect upon your 'ego-self'. Nowhere to hide when the walls echo the you that we all see. Ah, the smiles dissolve! The pulse begins to race; the face a flush of fear so plainly painted. The Mirror World – the Mirror Maze: Confrontation…"_

― Ayreon; Into the Electric Castle

* * *

Falling on the ground, Tayuya looked up in fear. '_What the fuck is he doing? Just kill me already!'_ she gritted her teeth and jumped up in an attempt to hit him, but her arm just passed through him. "The fuck? Are you intangible too? If you are that broken, then just quit playing. What are you waiting for? I don't care anymore! End me, dammit! Kill me!"

_'Her fist passed through him, and he didn't burn her?'_ Temari wondered. _'Is he going to spare her life? But why? She is rude and aggressive, and that chakra she emits is as evil as it can get…'_

In a flash of movement, Genkuro appeared behind Tayuya and hit her in the neck. In a flash of white light, the entire world vanished for both Genkuro and Tayuya.

* * *

Blinking, Genkuro tried to distinguish where he was. He heard a man and a woman shout, loudly, and someone whimpered. Concentrating, he saw that he stood behind a tiny red-haired girl as she peeked through a peculiar little hole in the door, watching two people who were in a fight. For a moment, Genkuro wondered why people would deliberately put such a hole in the door, but he quickly realized that this wasn't what was important right now.

Becoming aware of himself, Genkuro noticed that he had shrunken down to a more childish form, and that he wasn't made out of shadows. On the contrary, his current form reflected his 'flesh and blood' body which he had created earlier when he lived with Temari- only, instead of flaming red, his hair was now blond. At least, the tresses that fell down in his vision were blond- and it confused him how familiar that hair color felt. His body also resembled that of someone older than his earlier outward appearance. He still wore the same kind of loincloth though.

'_Where am I? Oh yes, I went inside through that thing in her neck.__'_

The little girl whimpered when a hard smack could be heard. "Mommy… No Daddy, don't do that to Mommy," she whispered frightfully.

"You stupid whore, do what I tell you or I will make you listen," an angry male voice, apparently the father, shouted out.

But before Genkuro could figure out what was happening, all of the entire scenery shattered, as if he had been looking through a mirror which now broke.

* * *

As the reality in which Genkuro resided shattered, he found himself in a dark realm. The atmosphere was oppressive, almost depressingly so. What little light Genkuro had, came from the many many mirrors in front of him. Well, one could call them mirrors because they had the same kind of rectangular shape, and also offered a reflection of some kind.

Though, none of the mirrors showed his reflection. They all contained the same red-haired girl, in many different settings, in various periods of time. Genkuro saw mirrors where she appeared as he had previously seen her during the fight, but in others she appeared as when she was just a little child.

"Darkness there," he mumbled to himself. He knew he had to go past the mirrors, but there was no clear path. They were placed in a seemingly chaotic order, creating a giant maze through which he needed to navigate. Because what he sought was at the centre, that was something he could clearly sense, even from his current position.

Then again, what point was there in measuring distance while inside someone's mind? One could better wonder why the girl's mindscape was splintered in so many mirrors.

Genkuro recalled a word Temari had used for such a thing. "Defend." Yes, splitting off all these memories had been Tayuya's ways to defend from all the horrible memories of her past.

Onwards he had to go, to find her darkness, he concluded, and her core would be near that darkness. But the path was not an easy one- he quickly found out that it sometimes was difficult to avoid touching mirrors, especially when the path narrowed like this.

And in the fluctuating light of the maze, Genkuro quickly made that mistake.

* * *

A red-haired girl sat in a dark corner of her room, staring through the window. Genkuro didn't really comprehend what was going on, but the girl did not notice him. Last thing he remembered was touching the cold mirror, and now he was sucked in here.

With a lonely expression, she stared out into infinity. Her legs pulled up and pressed against her chest, and her arms tightly around them, as if she wanted to curl up in defense against everything around her. Genkuro felt pity for the girl, she seemed so sad and fragile. Other children were playing outside, and their laughter reached to the girl's room. Sighing, the girl started to mumble something.

But before Genkuro could bend over and try to listen to what the girl said, the scenery shattered once again.

* * *

Genkuro shook his head in confusion. These memories were bizarre. Undergoing something that others experienced, in such a fashion, would be weird to regular people, but to Genkuro, being pretty much ignorant to life, it was far worse. How could he interpret the emotions of others when he could hardly deal with his own?

Stumbling, he fell backwards against the cold surface of another mirror.

* * *

"You can't do this!" a red-haired woman screamed. "Not our daughter!"

"I do what I fucking want to do," a brown haired man shrugged.

Genkuro recognized the voices: these were the father and mother that had been in a fight before. The father had a tight grip on the arm of the red-haired girl he saw before- tight enough to make the child cry out in pain. Only this time, the girl was a little older: six years old, perhaps, and far too young to have such a hollow and desperate look in her eyes.

"Let go," Genkuro stepped forward to stop the man, but they were all intangible. "I cannot do a thing…" he uttered. He felt angry, frustrated to be powerless, only damned to see this horrible scene but never being able to act. Because he felt her fear. The sharp needles piercing his heart from the betrayal and desperation she felt.

"You can't sell her! She's our daughter. She is _my_ daughter," the mother became hysterical, clasping the man's other arm. But he just swatted her away.

"Tayuya is not our daughter any more. I made a good bit of money on her, and I am going to honor my agreement," the father growled. "I bet she got that chakra from you, didn't she? Why did I even marry you?"

The little girl, Tayuya, started to cry even harder when she saw how he harshly kicked her mother.

A rather fat merchant walked over to the father, and a grin unveiled his yellow teeth. "Don't worry sir, I will offer her to the villages and as agreed, twenty per cent of the profit will go to you."

"And don't try to trick me, or my men will find you."

The shifty man bowed and smiled a bit anxiously. "I would not dare to anger Sho-sama and his group. Bandits are bad for people in my profession."

"Just sell her for a good price," the father grumbled.

Tayuya grabbed her mother's hand, but the merchant was too strong and mercilessly dragged her from her home.

* * *

Panting, Genkuro stood up. He saw the maze around him, and noticed how he had passed through the mirrors which he had just seen. "So go through them I must, if find the centre I will," Genkuro sighed. He was not looking forward to this. He had felt so much pain and suffering is these past mirrors that he wondered how many more he could endure. The total panic that the girl had felt made him tremble, he felt sick, even when he had already left the mirror. But what choice did he have? He had to continue. He stepped forward and entered a particularly cold mirror.

* * *

"Shut up you little mongrel," the fat merchant snapped at the little girl. Gone was his humble attitude, gone as the parents. Little Tayuya looked sickly, as if she lost a lot of weight in a short time. The merchant opened a cage that was on his cart, next to all the other merchandise. "Get in," he growled. "And you better behave next time. I am not going to drag you around forever, if you don't get sold quickly, I will just kill you and dump your body."

"I am sorry," the little red-haired girl cried. "I will do better next time. I swear!"

The man clenched his fist and punched her hard. "You're lucky I can't hit you any harder, or I'd lose what little you are worth," he scoffed. "Well, I can always sell you on the black market if the regular clientèle doesn't want you. There is always some scum with 'different' interests in little girls like you, and money is money no matter how despicable the customer is. Just count yourself lucky that I don't roll that way."

"I'll do better, I'll do better," was all the crying Tayuya could repeat, over and over again.

He kicked her cage, and he would have crushed her hand if she hadn't pulled back quick enough. "You'd better do that."

* * *

It was dark. The merchant was sound asleep, snoring like a pig. In her cage, Tayuya uncomfortably tried to sleep. When the merchant rolled over in his sleep, causing some of the merchandise to fall over, a sliver of metal fell next to Tayuya's cage. Genkuro felt his heart cringe as he saw the poorly-fed six year old girl looked at the sharp piece of metal, holding it to her wrists while tears fell from her eyes.

"How could someone do this?" Genkuro whispered. He felt disgusted by what he had seen so far. But no matter how bad it was, he knew he had to go deeper. He had to push through, all the way to the centre of her pain. The core of the vile chakra would be there. This was something he could clearly feel. If only he didn't have to go through all these painful memories, he worried.

* * *

Stripped of her clothes, Tayuya stood in a dark cave. The merchant groveled, as if he was trying to push his head through the stone. "This is her, my lord."

The girl looked angrily and frustrated. Genkuro felt as if his heart skipped a beat when he noticed the bandages on her wrists. He realized that she was angry at her own failure. After all, they were her memories, and they were colored by her emotions. And he wondered why this memory was permeated by the smell of blood.

"Ssso you say this girl has an unusual chakra?" a voice hissed from the darkness.

The merchant shivered, and attempted to bow even further. "Yes. Yes, I was ordered to sell her because she was considered to be too dangerous."

"Interesting…"

"She is young, unsoiled. I guarantee she's a virgin."

"Do I seem like I care about that sort of thing?"

Yellow eyes started to glow, and the look seemed to pierce Tayuya. She swallowed away her fear, but was determined to stay defiant. She knew that no one wanted to buy defiant slaves, and the merchant had sworn to kill her if he couldn't sell her… and she didn't want to live on. Not like this.

"Ohhh, so much anger, so much hate," the androgynous voice started to laugh deviously. "She is perfect. She tries to hide her fear well for someone her age."

"She is very talented, Orochimaru-sama."

"Talented? Ah yes, for someone her age she has much chakra indeed. Especially for someone who does not seem to descend from one of the bloodline clans. Tell me, who are her parents?"

"Some local bandit leader, no one special. He was not a shinobi, at least. But smart enough to know how to keep off the radar, considered how he has been running his business for almost fifteen years now. And considering the way he treated his wife, she definitely was not a shinobi. So no bloodlines."

"Yes.. Sometimes talent defies all blood ties," Orochimaru chuckled. "She almost reminds me of Anko-chan… although Anko-chan had a lot more talent, of course."

"She isn't expensive, my lord," the merchant begged. "But I bought her from her parent, so I'd wish to be compensated for that." Tayuya grimaced as the man called Orochimaru stepped forward. His inhuman appearance frightened the girl, yet still she remained defiant.

"No, she is not expensive at all."

"My lord?"

"Kimimaro-kun, the honor is yours," Orochimaru smirked.

"Kimimaro? My lord, what do you- _ugh_," the merchant spat out blood when spikes of bone pierced his chest. With wide eyes from the shock of seeing someone murdered like this right in front of her, Tayuya just stood there, frozen like a statue.

"You didn't think that I would let you enter this place and leave, did you?" Orochimaru whispered at the dying man. Tayuya trembled as she witnessed the calmness of this man after he had just given the orders for cold-blooded murder. A boy, only a bit older then she was, stepped forward.

"Well done, Kimimaro. Though next time you should aim a little higher and pierce his heart. Good assassins kill their targets instantly," the man analysed.

"My apologies, Orochimaru-sama."

"Just remember it for the next time. So, Tayuya, you now belong to me. Follow me. Oh, Kimimaro, give her some clothes."

Again, the mirror broke, and Genkuro felt a little disappointed. '_He is connected to her pain. I am getting close.__'_

* * *

Perhaps a year had passed. The red-haired girl known as Tayuya was now seven or perhaps eight years old. She lay in a bed, in a large room where many children slept. It was their prison, or cage, because they seemed to be herded there like animals. The sweat, blood, and other fouls smells of the waste which the human body produced, the stench assaulted Genkuro's nose and he coughed. He wondered how the others could ignore it so easily. Only a few beds were in the room, and they were only occupied by those who performed well enough to earn the right to sleep in them. Tayuya appeared so accustomed to the bed that it was obvious she outperformed her 'classmates' on nearly every front.

Still, Genkuro saw that the fears were still there. She tried to hide it, keeping it in dormant deep inside her, but the ghosts of those long forgotten days still haunted her. She could hardly remember her mother, and couldn't even recall her name.

It was odd how someone's emotions could color memories.

All she was now, was the tool of someone else- a servant to another man's cause- but it was better than she was used to. She got more food, and did not have to sleep in a cage. She wasn't hit by her father, nor did she experience the way he tormented her mother. She was actually useful and appreciated for what she was, and that was a feeling she cherished.

Someone started to scream, and Genkuro looked around him. Two beds away, a boy who had been asleep was now being strangled. A rather plump boy, eerily similar to the semi-giant Genkuro had killed earlier, had ambushed the sleeping boy.

"Well, that's one way to get a bed," Tayuya scoffed. Others had tried it on her, but they had always failed. She was too fast, and despite her slender body, she could pack a punch. She had no pity for anyone. After all, she had learned from a very young age to never trust anyone. She noticed how another boy looked at her bed, longingly. "Just try it, you piece of trash."

* * *

Fragments followed, only short, in which Genkuro saw the way Tayuya had been trained. It had been merciless, making her progress over the dead bodies of her comrades. He saw her kill more than once. He saw her ignore the suffering of all. All she seemed to care about was herself. It was evident that to Tayuya, this was the only way to survive, and when it was a matter of choice, she'd always choose herself. But she still had that hollow look in her eyes, Genkuro noted.

Finally, Genkuro arrived at a more solid memory. He saw her together with three other boys, while four corpses of other children were dragged away.

"Good, good, you passed the final test," Orochimaru appeared. The surviving children in front of him seemed to be around twelve years old, about as old as Genkuro's mental form was.

An assistant walked forward. "All the preparations are made, Orochimaru-sama."

"Thank you Kabuto-kun. Now, children, how would you like it if I gave you a chance to earn your freedom? I'll give you one more night to think about my proposal…"

* * *

"Did you accept?" a slender, black-haired boy asked.

"Of course I did, Kidomaru," Tayuya sighed. "I wouldn't want to keep rotting in this shithole."

"What about the others?"

"They're trash, but they are capable. I wonder why Orochimaru-sama didn't select the fat-ass though."

"Kabuto… He thinks that Jirobo is too soft."

"Ghehe, yeah he is definitely soft. Man, that layer of fat makes it hard to give him a good punch."

"That's not what I meant."

"I know.."

"Do you… hesitate?"

"Orochimaru-sama asked me if I wanted to return all the pain the world has inflicted on me. I know we are just pawns in his plan, but if our choice is to be a pawn or a corpse, I definitely choose to serve him."

"…"

"Don't you want to make them pay for killing your family?"

"I will do whatever it takes, you know that. But my strength… I am not like you Tayuya, I am too weak to serve as his elite."

"Then get stronger," Tayuya turned around in her bed. Unlike the previous time when Genkuro saw this room, when there were perhaps a hundred children, now there were only a few. In fact, there were more beds than children now. "I'm going to murder the fucker who sold me, whatever it takes."

* * *

When the last memory shattered, Genkuro encountered many fragments. The pale man known as Orochimaru bit Tayuya, causing her unbelievable pain. Shards of missions, first only with Kidomaru, as the other two had died in the process. He saw them kill and torture, and do whatever Orochimaru demanded of them. He saw Tayuya's memories of how Kidomaru's physique was altered, how he gained two additional sets of arms. He saw the pain inflicted on her. Even though she did not require as much alteration, she still was flooded with all kinds of drugs to increase her power. And then a long sequence of blurry memories started, as if she was hardly aware of what she did. Impressions of blood and pain. Memories of how the two of them got three extra teammates, how they did missions, and eventually, how they became Orochimaru's personal guard detail. It all came to light. After that, her memories became clearer, as if her mind wasn't clouded by all kinds of drugs. After all, their loyalty had been proven, so Orochimaru's control didn't have to be as tight as it was before.

And then Genkuro found himself back in a dark chamber. It was almost like a cave, but the walls and floor were too smooth, so it was definitely man-made.

"That is an odd request, Danzo-san," Orochimaru whispered.

A one-eyed, seemingly fragile, old man stood in front of Tayuya's master. However, Genkuro knew that this man was dangerous. All of Tayuya's memories shouted out that this man was dangerous.

"I know you have unfinished business with my old friend," the old man rasped.

"Oh yes, I definitely wouldn't mind a little skirmish with my old sensei," Orochimaru said in mock innocence. "But I am surprised that you would ask such a thing."

"He has gone astray. I knew his weakness was a liability to Konoha, but right now, he has crossed the line. Hiruzen must be eliminated."

"What's in it for me?"

"There are always bloodlines which might interest you, are there not?"

"You know very well that I desire the Sharingan."

"Then you can have the last Uchiha."

"Just like that?" Orochimaru frowned.

"The Uchiha clan has always been a threat to the village. I don't mind permanently removing that threat."

"Then we have an agreement. I remove Hiruzen so that you can become Hokage, and in return I get Sasuke-kun… although, I would like to get my hands on the Byakugan as well."

Danzo's eye narrowed, as he thought about the snake's greedy request. "Fine. The Hyuga have a useless heir which some factions in their clan asked me to remove anyway. You can get them both after you kill Hiruzen."

* * *

Genkuro started to get a little frustrated. Every time he passed through a memory, he found another one. In the giant maze, he never seemed to make much progress in getting to the center. However all the mirrors told him one thing: what had driven the girl to become like that.

A new image had formed, and he looked down at a dead man. This man had auburn hair, and his white kimono had been sullied with his own blood. Another man stood next to the corpse. His hair was as white as his skin, and Genkuro recognized him as the boy who had been there when Tayuya was 'bought': Kimimaro. But unlike his stoic and confident expression back then, he now seemed shocked.

"W-what's wrong?" Genkuro noticed that Tayuya stood behind him when she spoke up.

"My body.." he fell to his knees.

"Oi, Sakon, Ukon, get down here. Something's wrong with Kimimaro! He's ill!"

And the memory shattered as broken glass.

* * *

Various images and impressions flowed by, but now Genkuro had a bit of an idea on how to navigate through the mirrors. He knew he needed to find the center of the maze- at least, that is where the core of the negativity seemed to come from.

Suddenly, Genkuro noticed a memory where Tayuya and her three teammates watched as Orochimaru fought an old man. Genkuro had to admit that he was impressed by the way they fought. It was much more refined then his crude method of fighting. '_He cannot win. The old man has too little chakra to beat the snake-man.__'_

As if on his cue, Tayuya started to mumble. Genkuro saw how she and the other three kept up a large barrier. But, this being Tayuya's memories, he had spawned near her. Being little more than a ghost in the girl's memories, Genkuro passed through the barrier, and bowed over to listen to her.

"…not the right, you piece of trash. You won't win if keep ignoring his weak arm."

Genkuro frowned a little, and then looked at the fight she was staring at so intently.

"Wouldn't it be nice," she whispered to herself. "If he died, I could be truly free.. I'd no longer have to endure those three idiots, or have to do all those fucking missions. Come on old man, he's your student, you know him well enough to exploit his weaknesses, so kill him. Kill him."

Looking at the fight, Genkuro wondered what the girl wanted to do. "Do you truly desire to be free?"

* * *

"What do you mean Sasuke-kun is gone?"

The one-eyed man was there again, and this time Orochimaru was definitely not pleased. "As I just said, the Uchiha boy is gone. My anbu found a lot of blood, but the body is nowhere to be seen."

"Damn that Suna brat," Orochimaru spat. "His lack of control destroyed my plans!"

"And mine," Danzo allowed himself to show a little emotion and sighed tersely. "The Suna jinchuriki killed the Kyuubi jinchuriki and his entire team. The loss of the jinchuriki is problematic. That child was the first asset which I wanted to control once I became Hokage. I saw the corpses of him and the girl in his team, and considering the amount of blood that was found, I think it is impossible the Uchiha survived."

"Kabuto-kun said that the destruction had been rather substantial."

"When Jiraiya realized that the Ichibi had killed the Uzumaki, he lost it. It will probably take several years until the Kyuubi and Ichibi re-form, and by then I plan to be ready to capture the both of them."

"But without an Uzumaki, the Kyuubi cannot be sealed," Orochimaru mused. Suddenly, he was very happy to stumble upon the Uzumaki girl during the exams. With Karin under his control, Orochimaru knew he had the best cards up his sleeve when it came to controlling the Kyuubi's vast power. "I suppose we need to alter our agreement."

"The Hyuga child will be delivered to you, but I have to take some precaution. I am not yet officially inaugurated as the Godaime Hokage, and my political position is not unshakable, so I can't afford to take too much risk. Too many clan leaders have their reservations about me."

"If it had not been war, it would have been very likely that someone else was chosen," Orochimaru chuckled.

"Perhaps. But these things hardly matter. I know I promised you the Uchiha boy, but I cannot. But," Danzo started to smirk slyly, "considering the state of your hands, I might deliver you something more useful."

Orochimaru grimaced, having tried to hide the extent of the damage Sarutobi Hiruzen had done to his hands from his 'partner'. "What do you have in mind?"

"How would you like to meet your old team-mate again?" Danzo smirked.

Tayuya watched impassively, but couldn't help but scoff a little at the latest remark. "That one-eyed rat is still trying to eliminate his competition," she mumbled to herself.

* * *

He had found it, Genkuro realized. This was the core. This mirror was unlike any other memory. This was far more solid. Clearer, even though many details were wrong. The color of the sky, the smell of burning grass. Dark plumes of smoke. It seemed more like a fantasy than a memory. It just wasn't real enough. A nightmare.

Genkuro stood in the middle of a village, a severely-destroyed village. Most houses had collapsed, and some were still smoking or burning. Corpses were littered through the street, and when Genkuro looked on, he realized he had been here before, though he had seen it from different angles.

"This is your home," he whispered, looking at the only intact building left. "Is she still there?"

Climbing over the rubble, Genkuro wondered how the girl could have created this place. "Is this who you are? Shattered, broken, and left in ruins?"

Entering the building, Genkuro felt a little disgusted by the smell of the place. Two corpses, in varying states of decay, were left in the kitchen. "Your father and mother, did you actually kill them, or do you wish to do so?"

Suddenly, something fell down in the next room. "Are you there?" he wondered. Nothing.

He decided to take a look, and cautiously passed the corner. What he saw made him freeze in his steps. A giant white snake, composed of many smaller white snakes, was resting in the living room. The stench of decay radiated from the bizarre creature. It lazily lifted its head as it noticed Genkuro. '_It looks just like the man from Tayuya's memories, Orochimaru. But how can he be here?__'_

"Ssstrange, there ssshouldn't be any wanderersss in thisss place," it hissed.

Genkuro quickly stepped back, not sure what this thing was.

"Ahhh, you don't belong here little one… you are not part of her, ssso we cannot damage each other. And ssshe isss mine…"

"How can a part of you be inside her?"

"What would be more intriguing is to asssk how you came here. It took me many yearsss before I dissscovered how to split my sssoul."

"…"

"Pity.. Becaussse you certainly are interesssting. You ssshould ssseek out the real me, ssso we can have proper dissscussssion."

Genkuro turned around and left the room, and Orochimaru, or the piece of him, did not follow. '_How can he be here? How can he be part of her? Is he the source of her evil?_

He looked around, and remembered where he had seen her all those years ago. Genkuro went up the stairs, and found two bedrooms. The first was of her parents. I looked like a hurricane had gone through it. The second room… darkness was the only word he could know which described it.

Stumbling through the dark, Genkuro moved to open the curtains, allowing some light into the dusty room.

Opening them brought light to the room, and revealed the red-haired girl he had been looking for. Though, she was not her sixteen year old self. No, she looked no older then the last time he saw her sitting in this room. A child, desperate and lonely. And just like then, she was staring into oblivion.

"Tayuya?" by now he had heard the name often enough to know it well. In fact, the bombardment of experiences and memories had widened his knowledge even further. Sadly, he had seen so much of mankind's darkness that he wished he had not delved in her mind. '_But I have to do it. She suffers. I saw it in her eyes. And she still seeks a way out, right?__'_

"Hey?" he tried to draw her attention again, but no response. Tapping her shoulder caused her to blink once, but other than that she did not respond. '_Can she still be saved, or is she completely broken?__'_

Grabbing her slender shoulders, he shook her left and right. She groaned, and seemed more annoyed than anything else. "Wake up, you can still wake up, can't you?"

"Leave me alone," her voice sounded so fragile that it scared him.

"I thought you were strong…"

"Get out!"

"No."

The little girl blinked, and suddenly seemed to realize the situation. "Oh great, how the fuck did I get here? Haven't seen this place since the day I got my cursed seal. And what are you doing here? You're not one of that snake's illusions, are you?"

Genkuro shrugged. "Mari says she named me Genkuro, so I am not Illusion."

"She named you? Is this Mari your mother?"

"I… I don't know," Genkuro admitted. "I don't know who I am, or how I am. But I know who you are."

The little girl scowled at that. "Then why are you here? _He_ said that this was my mind. Though, it freaks me out that I am so fucking tiny."

"He is downstairs."

"He always is," Tayuya sighed. "But he can't come here- not unless I let him. That is our agreement."

"Do you not wish to be free?"

"Why would I want that?" Tayuya replied in a bitter and defeated tone. "There is nothing for me."

"We are all afraid. We all suffer pain."

"What do you know," she sighed. "I am doomed. You should just kill me and be done with it."

"I cannot."

"If you refuse to listen to me, you should just scram," her scowl deepened.

"I saw your life. I know your fears, your doubts, your pain… and your pride."

"I don't care. Stop bothering me."

"He uses all that."

"What?"

"To control you… don't you want to get out of here?"

"If you came up here, you saw him, so you should know that he can't be beaten."

Genkuro sighed, though he could understand why she had no hope. She was never given a chance to dream of a better life. He had seen it, he had experienced it. And because of that, he knew she could do better. "You should go on and endure. If you do, you can make it out of here. This," he gestured at her six year old form, "is not the real you. This is how he wants you to see yourself. He wants you to think that you are weak and defenceless. This is just another mirror. You can break it."

"Yeah, right," she said skeptically. "And how the fuck am I supposed to do that?"

"Your heart. You have the will to fight. But not when you are afraid, not when you doubt, not when you give in to your pain."

"Sure, and I should just 'break the mirror', or whatever bullcrap you just spewed."

"I will show you."

"I told you to get lost. No one can beat him. It's impossible," fed up with the situation, she suddenly jumped up, angrily swinging her fist at him. But the tiny fist just went through him.

"I am not you, so I am not… real. Not here," he tried to explain, almost apologizing. "How can he be here while I cannot?"

"…he created the cursed seal. He stored part of his own power in it, to strengthen me. To control me," she just slumped down.

Genkuro tilted his head. "So the snake-man shared his warmth?"

"What are you talking about? What is this warmth?" Tayuya blinked a few times, but couldn't get her mind over it.

"Your warmth is who you are."

Sighing, Tayuya just shook her head in exasperation. "It's impossible to talk with you."

"You have to remove him, if you want to be free."

"Did you even listen? It's impossible."

"Impossible?"

"Yes!"

"What is impossible?"

"Getting rid of him!"

Genkuro looked confused. "But why is removing him impossible? It's just.." he made a gesture with his hand, as if he waved him away. "But you are afraid. Is that what impossible means?"

"You actually don't fucking know what 'impossible' means?" He shook his head in response, making the tiny girl chuckle. "It means it can't be fucking done, you moron!"

"So it is not impossible if are not too afraid of doing it? You always say impossible. I saw you, you should not be impossible of anything."

"Then how did you think I can beat him," she asked mockingly. She gestured to her tiny form.

"This is you," he point at nothing in particular. "You are all this."

"So my mind is like a fucked up village? Geez, thanks a lot…"

"If this is you, he is you. If you control you, you can cast him out. But he wants you to be afraid of you, so that he can control you," Genkuro explained it as if it was completely obvious. After all, this was why she was so small in this place, because Orochimaru wanted her to think she was weak and powerless.

Needless to say, it was all but obvious for Tayuya. The only thing saving Genkuro from a certain death was the fact that she could not harm him there. After a few failed attempts to hit him, Tayuya slumped down against the wall. "This is all so fucking pointless," Genkuro shuddered a little when he heard the defeated tone. This was precisely the same girl as when she was sold.

"I don't understand anything. Whenever I want to learn something, Mari explains it to me."

"So the fuck what," Tayuya scoffed, still with the same fatigued tone.

"You do not have to do everything alone."

"Yeah right, everyone is just lining up to help me."

Genkuro tilted his head, not understanding Tayuya's sarcasm. "I saw a lot about what was called lies. I don't really understand it, but you do not believe me."

"You just murdered my team dammit! How the hell am I supposed to trust someone who does that?"

"They were not you. They were what you call 'trash'. I believe that was the word you used. But you are you. And if you want to be you, I can help."

"Fine, I'll bite," Tayuya sighed. "How can you help?"

"You cannot defeat him right now. You are too scared, and have too much anger. But I can do it for you."

"Did you forget that you aren't real in here?"

"You are not real either. This mirror is just a pale reflection. I can break the mirror. That is how I got through the maze and found you at the source," Genkuro explained. "I can give you some of my warmth in exchange for his. His warmth won't tolerate mine though, and it will end him."

"What?" she sighed.

"I will be here, part of me will be you. In return, he will be me."

Tayuya blinked in surprise. "Is this what you were blabbering about warmth? So you meant that he dies when… I still don't fucking get it!"

"I saw you, but for me to leave a part of me, you have to see me. Do you want to see that?"

"I don't know what you are saying, but I guess I don't mind. You could hardly be worse than the snake, can you?"

Genkuro took Tayuya's hand, and pulled her up so that she stood on her own two tiny feet. "Don't let go."

"Eh?"

Suddenly, his body burst out into flames. "This is me," he moved his hand of flames to her head. Scared of his sudden change, and believing he would burn her, she backed away. "That is why he wins."

Before she could do anything more, he moved as fast as lighting, and his hand pierced her head. Shouting out in fear, Tayuya thought she was a goner. But while she had her eyes closed and waited, the pain never came. Though, she did smell something burning. All around her, flames erupted. A loud banging could be heard from the ground floor.

"How.."

"I am warmth, I use my warmth to break the mirror."

"Why do you go so far for me?" Tayuya had been skeptical until now, but through their new bond, she realized that he was completely honest.

"The others were dark, and enjoyed it, but you did not choose to be dark." The world suddenly lit up, and Orochimaru's screams from downstairs were silenced. All of a sudden, the entire view seemed to crack. Tayuya watched in awe, as the world around her broke in pieces. As if she looked at a mirror which broke to pieces. "So this is why you called it a mirror," she whispered, hardly believing her own eyes.

"Yes. These are your mirrors," he gestured around him. Tayuya watched and saw countless mirrors, as if she stood in a giant maze. And in each mirror, something else could be seen. In each, she saw a different reflection of herself. And there were so many things she could not remember doing. "This is his doing," Genkuro explained. "He wanted you, so he broke you to pieces. Now you have to gather those pieces, and become whole again."

"How on earth I am going to do that.."

"Step into the mirrors. See what you once saw. And when you are complete, I will retrieve the shard that I will leave with you."

"Just like that?"

"No. If I die, my shard disappears. If you die, my shard will return to me. If my shard is removed before you are complete, your mind will die."

"My mind will die?" Tayuya frowned. "And you still didn't answer me: why are you doing this?"

"I think the word you used was 'nuts', even though I don't really know what it means. Mari used the word for something else, those little things from the tree," Genkuro mused. "But you will understand me when I leave my shard."

"So I exchange one master for the other?"

"I don't need you," Genkuro said with brutal honesty. "But to ignore your pain is… difficult. You will see when you experience how I came to be."

Tayuya could only watch in silence as his body lost is form. The flames swirled around, enveloping her like a fiery cocoon. "I am sorry for the pain you will feel," his voice came whispering from the inferno. A flash of light, and Tayuya felt as if she was torn apart into many tiny pieces. And then she saw him for who he really was.

There was no maze of memories inside him. All she could see was a vast hall filled with shards. All the mirrors his mind would have had, were shattered into tiny, razor-sharp slivers of glass.

And the pain she felt from that…

All those pieces burned, as if her body was pierced by a thousand burning needles, she felt as if she lost her mind due to the pain. This pain was enough to break anyone's mind. Or at least, it would be too much for people who hadn't suffered as much pain as Tayuya had. Oblivious to everything but the pain, Tayuya screamed and cried. She was unable to distinguish her inner world, the mirror maze, and the outer world, where Temari watched in horror at the girl's suffering. All she saw was a red haze.

Only later would Tayuya realize that this horrible pain wasn't really hers, but it was Genkuro who felt this. He felt this because this was how he came into the world. This was his first memory. She was given to feel this in order that he could leave a shard of himself in her mind, a shard which would reinforce her and give her the time she would need to come to terms with herself- because she would need this new state of mental stability to gain the time to recover from Orochimaru's manipulations.

Orochimaru had tried to remove her memories from her in an attempt to control her. But with the control broken, all the memories were there for her to relive again. Whether she wanted to or not, she could not escape who she was, who she had been, or who she could become.

* * *

Temari frowned at the sight of the collapsed Tayuya. "Why did you spare her life?" she looked at Genkuro

"I did not."

"She is still alive, she has a heartbeat."

Genkuro shrugged. "Come."

Looking at the pitch-black man Genkuro had become at one point during the fight, Temari shuddered as he touched her. He wasn't warm and gentle any longer. Just like his fire was extinguished, his happiness and innocence seemed to have disappeared. "Are you still all right?" she asked worried about his state of mind.

"We go," he didn't want her to worry about him. She wouldn't understand the things he had seen, the pain he now suffered, due to ripping a piece out of himself and leaving it within Tayuya's soul. Even more, he didn't want her to understand something that horrible. People shouldn't know such things.

"Wait, we can't leave her like this. We should either help her or kill her."

"Why?" he wondered. He knew she wouldn't die like this, though it would take some time for her to recover.

"Why? You can't be serious!" Temari growled. "Even if she's an enemy, that doesn't mean you can treat her like trash."

"She will live," Genkuro remained indifferent. He knew that someone was getting near. He didn't have the time to argue about this. "Come."

"No! I'm not going to leave her behind like this!"

Genkuro tilted his head a little, and his flaming eyes stared at the blonde, gauging her determination. "Then she goes with us."

"With us? No, you're not going to do that again, I don't-" before Temari could protest any more, they took off in a dark flash of black flames.

* * *

"-want you to... I hate this.." Temari groaned. She really did not like being flashed around. It was too disorienting, too nauseating.

"Temari," something in his voice made her shiver. And he never called her by her full name before.

'_What happened to him?__'_ she thought while looking at the expressionless black figure the child had become. Even the churning flames in his eyes had extinguished.

"Temari," he now nearly whispered. "Thank you."

"What? What are you- hey! Genkuro, what are you doing?" she felt like her stomach turned to stone as she saw him scatter. Like ashes in the wind, his black frame disintegrated and scattered in the winds.

"Take care of Tayuya…" she could hear his voice come from the nothingness.

"Genkuro! Where are you?" she completely panicked. "GENKURO!"

* * *

Sweating from the exertion of getting there as fast as he could, Arata reached the place. "I knew I was too late, but this, this is amazing."

He walked through the burned-down parts of the forests, and took some samples. "Chiriku-sama will not be very pleased that I missed him, but at least these samples could be useful in figuring out who and what this being is. Even if Jiraiya-sama says this is a child, I find it hard to believe."

Arata hadn't felt like this since he was a monk-in-training, despite all the experience he had gained in his thirty seven years, and had every right to be considered a full-fledged monk. But he barely understood what was going on. After he and several of his brothers were sent out to gather information regarding a series of strange occurrences, Arata had felt a strange chakra signal.

"And I know that this is the guy we were supposed to look out for. And he vanished. How on earth could he do such a thing? No mere shunshin no jutsu is enough to travel beyond my sensory range," the bald monk mumbled to himself, reproaching himself for his inability to find his target. "I should take some samples over there as well, seems like it was a big fight here. Perhaps Chiriku-sama and Jiraiya-sama can figure out a way to locate them with these samples of chakra. They will definitely be interested that there are three people now. Besides, these footprints are not from a child…"

* * *

_Author__'__s notes:_

* * *

The end! Forty-one reviews after the previous chapter, I've never had so many before, and the vast majority of you wanted Tayuya to live. So, I've added her as the third main character of this story. And I'm happy to do so, because she's one of my favorite characters in fanfiction. Still, this chapter was a bit of a headache, as I wanted to expand Tayuya's character, while also telling more about the stuff that happened since Naruto's "death". While pondering on how to combine these two seemingly separate ideas, I was listening to one of my favorite cd's – the same one of which I left a quote at the start – and suddenly got a giant flash of inspiration.

I know, it is a bit of an unconventional, or should I say completely crazy, way to show you Tayuya's life and how she could break free from Orochimaru's cursed seal, but this story has not been very conventional anyway. So I hope it wasn't too weird and you still liked it! Please leave a **review**, whether you liked it, or if you think that I'm an idiot wasting my time on this craziness. I'd like to hear what my readers think! The interaction part is what makes writing even more fun. Some of you definitely gave me good ideas for the future plot of this story.

As always, please give a big round of applause to my beta and partner in crime: **Illuminated**.

-Z-


	5. The evolution of bonds

**Pareidolia**

* * *

**Chapter five**

**The evolution of bonds**

* * *

"_The lotus is the most beautiful flower, whose petals open one by one. But it will only grow in the mud. In order to grow and gain wisdom, first you must have the mud: the obstacles of life and its suffering. If we are to strive as human beings to gain more wisdom, more kindness and more compassion, we must have the intention to grow as a lotus and open each petal one by one. "_

― Thupten Ngodup

* * *

"Genkuro!"

There was silence- and it didn't matter where she looked, Genkuro wasn't there. Only some traces of the ashes of his burnt out body could be seen. But before Temari could fall to her knees and express her despair, the red-haired girl behind her groaned. The grimace on her face showed the pain she was suffering.

'_Take care of Tayuya? Why would he ask me to take care of her? How did he even know her name? Genkuro doesn't seem to know anyone else but me. Then again, he did know what ramen smelled like_,' Temari mused. '_I suppose I have to nurse her to full health first. I was the one who asked him not to abandon her, after all. And perhaps she has some answers to what he is. Even if she is the underling of that cursed Orochimaru._'

But no matter how bad she hated Orochimaru, she couldn't leave this girl behind. '_I'm not as heartless as they are, although I'm not going to trust this bitch.'_ Temari sighed. "Well, I'd better make a stretcher."

Genkuro had moved them to an area which was somewhat similar to the Land of Sound, where they apparently had been, considering the sudden arrival of Orochimaru's bodyguards. Temari knew enough about geography to know that this area had been a possibility, but because they were far away from civilization, she had not complained. Considering the position of the rising moon and the setting sun, Temari thought that they had now had gone east. Though this time, Genkuro had likely been out of power, and hadn't transported them as far.

Standing on a mountainside, Temari saw dense forest all around her. While the area was indeed rather mountainous, that wasn't what drew Temari's attention. Enormous white pillars, seeming as if they had been the ribs of humongous creatures, littered the area.

* * *

Something touched her, and Tayuya didn't like it. "Get your fucking hands off me, Kidomaru," she groaned. '_Why does my head hurt like this? Fuck that, my neck is even worse,'_ she realized when trying to move.

"Hold still," an icy voice stopped her. '_What the hell is going on? That isn't one of the Four of us, and it's definitively not one of the snake's minions.'_

A hand slapped her when Tayuya tried to move her hands. But with Tayuya's sore body, it felt like torture. "I told you not to move, idiot," a tired voice spoke, after what had probably been a yawn.

"What the fuck do you want from me?"

"Nothing."

"Yeah, right," Tayuya scoffed. "You tie me up while you want nothing from me? At least remove that fucking cloth from my eyes. It's not like I've got a doujutsu or anything."

"…"

"And where is my fucking flute?"

"Who taught you manners?"

"What?"

"I thought so," the voice sounded rather amused.

"Oh crap, I'm going to be tortured with your horrible sense of humor?"

"…well, if you're going to be like this, you're going to be blindfolded for a little while longer."

Tayuya sighed. "Well great for you, are you always this bitchy? Could you at least tell me how the fuck I got here?"

"You don't remember?" the voice seemed honest it its surprise.

Thinking back on what she could recall before waking up, Tayuya suddenly remembered how her teammates had fallen. "The fire brat!"

"He's the one who put you in this condition, yes."

"And?"

"And what?"

"I… He said… Is it gone? Is it really gone? I can't feel it!"

"He talked?" the voice seemed confused. "He only touched you in your neck, burned some skin off, you started screaming like an idiot and were left in the half-dead state you just woke up from."

"You're that blonde bitch of his, aren't ya?"

"Well that's just wonderful. I nursed you for two weeks and am the only reason why you're still alive, and now I'm a bitch?"

"Two weeks? What?"

"Whatever Genkuro did, it nearly killed you, and then he asked me to take care of you. And yes, you were knocked out for two weeks," the voice which Tayuya now recognized sounded irritable- very irritable. It was most likely from exhaustion, because Tayuya could hear that clearly in the other girl's voice. "I'm going to remove that blindfold, so don't try anything funny or I _will_ kill you."

"Why would I? You're with him, so it wouldn't serve any point."

"You're one of Orochimaru's scum, so don't try to trick me," Temari growled.

Tayuya grimaced, but couldn't refute that. After all, how could she explain that her bonds with the snake were severed? No one with a brain would believe it. Instead, she just sighed in defeat, and remained silent. She felt Temari rummage around, untying the cloth that blinded the former subordinate of Orochimaru.

"There, that should do it. Now, spill the truth. What did Genkuro say?"

"He freed me," Tayuya admitted. Her eyes blinking a little to adjust to the faint light in the cave in which the two resided in. "Unless… There isn't a black seal in my neck anymore, is there? I mean, I can't feel it, but I'd rather be certain."

"Only a nasty burn," Temari shrugged. "It'll probably leave a scar, but it certainly beat what happened to the others. I saw it all happen. He didn't say a word, and you were too busy crying and screaming your lungs inside out."

"I didn't cry," Tayuya started to protest, but stopped when she saw the deadpanned stare from the blonde. "…fine, but it freaking hurt like hell!"

"What did he do?"

"He freed me. Didn't you ask him? Where is he anyway?"

"Genkuro is gone…"

Tayuya saw the pained expression, and gasped when she thought about his words. "He isn't dead."

"I saw him scatter to ashes. I saw him vanish before, but this was different.."

"When he removed my seal, he left part of himself behind, inside me. He more or less told me I'd go batshit insane if he was to die. Though I'm not sure, that moron couldn't speak clearly."

"That isn't a very comforting thought, because I doubt I would notice the difference…"

"Ha ha, just laugh it up," Tayuya growled. "My mind isn't fucked, not that badly at least. I can feel him, or at least, I know he is there." Tayuya saw the confused frown and decided to simply explain everything. "That cursed seal that he removed- Orochimaru used that thing to control us, to corrupt us. The rat-fucker left part of his soul within the seal. Don't ask me how-" she stopped Temari before she could even ask. "I've got no fucking clue how the snake did it. But your boy somehow entered through that seal and burned that castrated bastard out of my mind. Even though it should have been impossible…"

"I'd rather say that he _is_ impossible," Temari sighed.

"You don't know who or what he is?"

"I know as much as you do," Temari grimaced and leaned back against the wall. "I was about to die when a little kid popped up. This boy didn't have a body, but instead was made out of flames. Whatever got near him, he burned it and absorbed it. But not me… For some weird reason he liked me. And considering how I was running away, I didn't mind having him follow me."

"The perfect bodyguard."

"Not really. I don't know if you noticed, but he is completely ignorant. And not just in speech. I had to teach him how to talk, how to behave, etcetera. He is a fast learner, but at the same time he can't seem to understand the simplest of concepts."

"Like a little brat…"

"Yes," Temari sighed. "And it worries me that he still hasn't returned… I hope nothing is wrong."

"Don't worry, he'll be back. I mean, he talked about you, and you were pretty much the most important person he knew. I don't know who he really is, but if he really is just the mass of flames he seemed to be, he'll figure out a way to come back." Tayuya then groaned as she realized her position. "Crap, which means I have got to stick with you."

"Why?" Temari blinked in surprise.

"That fucker freed me! And from what you just told me, the exhaustion it caused destroyed him."

"But why do you have to stay? Not to look a gift horse in the mouth, but I expected you to attempt to break free and scurry back to that traitorous snake."

"I'm not going anywhere," Tayuya huffed. "He helped me, for no reason at all. He did it all without wanting anything back from me… no one ever did something like that for me" she admitted, a little confused because she no longer knew what to feel. "Besides, it's not like I can go anywhere. I'm fine as long as we are far from the civilized world, because I have no freaking intention to be caught by Orochimaru again."

'_Not to mention that I have to give him that weird shard-thingy back. Even though that means I have to be me, or whatever bullshit he was spouting back then…'_

Temari saw the look in the redhead's eyes, and decided to take the gamble. "So if I free you, you're not going to kill me?"

"And piss off the thing that saved me? Who keeps my alive? Do you take me for a fucking retard?"

"I won't answer that…" Temari giggled.

* * *

Despite being 'freed', it had changed little about Tayuya's physical condition. It took days before she was strong enough to leave the cave, and even then Temari had to support her. The two had gotten an odd bond over the days, being indebted to the same person and now stranded in the wild with no other company apart from each other.

"How the fuck did we get here?" Tayuya gasped, dropping the flute she usually held onto so firmly.

It was true, Tayuya's (lack of) manners were a thing that irked the blonde. In fact, she was glad that Genkuro wasn't around to pick up those kinds of words- but her sense for music was unexpectedly refined. "Genkuro brought us, before his body turned to ashes." Temari remained patient, but Tayuya seemed horrified by the view.

"These are the wastelands to our east. Son of a motherless goat, why did the fuck did he take us to the mountain's graveyard?" Tayuya desperately pulled her messy red hair.

Now, Temari shared the sentiment, as she was a bit annoyed to be left stranded in this wilderness filled with dangerous wildlife, but Tayuya's response made it obvious that there was a lot more going on. '_She is afraid. But why? And what is a motherless goat?'_

"Fuck me, he might as well killed me… Kami fucking dammit, why can't a girl get a fucking break, every time I end up in another fucking mess!" To say that Tayuya was annoyed was a severe understatement.

"Erm… Tayuya, what is wrong?"

"Did you see those big freaking bones? What kind of big-ass creature do you think left them? Even worse, why do you think even shinobi avoid this area?" Tayuya slapped her own face in frustration. "These fuckwits come here to die, and that's not the problem, but they die, they leave their young here as well. The Snake tried to create a base here, because he knew this would be the perfect fucking place to hide from everyone. When the eggs hatched, all but one from the base was slaughtered. And even Kimimaro preferred not to talk about what happened. And everything that freaks him out is going to be a certain death for us!"

"What are these creatures? I only saw a few rather huge bears, deer, tigers, and those kinds of animals. Nothing particularly terrifying, just the regular wildlife."

"Blondie, that shit is nothing but prey. Those creatures, they don't really have a name. Orochimaru once told us they were called Mountains, because the bones they leave are big as mountains. They usually live in the ocean, hidden in the depths, but for some reason they use this spot to leave their eggs and die."

"And their young are what caused all that death?"

"The southern regions are relatively safe, but the north, near the shores, is a kill zone."

"Then we need to pack and leave," Temari sighed.

Tayuya frowned at the idea. "If we rush now, it would be just as lethal a mistake. We don't know exactly where we are. That new base I was talking about- from what I heard, one of the idiots was chased by those predators, and when one found out, the others came as well. If we fuck up and get chased by one, I'm certain we'll get chased by a shitload more of them. And I need time to recover from what that kid did to me. As much as I hate to admit it, I'm just a liability to you right now. I don't have my cursed seal to rely on, and my entire chakra control is scrambled."

"Nothing is ever easy, is it?" Temari closed her eyes and sighed.

"And people wonder why I say life is a bitch," Tayuya remarked humorlessly. "Anyway, I'm not going to be caught again."

* * *

It was not enough. He knew that very well. First, his body had been like a liquid. It was impervious to any conventional type of damage, but it was hard to sustain, requiring him to draw a lot of energy from his surroundings. The fluid body had also been rather vulnerable when opponents tried to drain it of its power. Then, because he wished to interact with the girl, who had felt familiar for some reason, he had created a body which at least had a solid outer layer.

The entity now known as 'Genkuro' had no form, but that didn't mean that he wasn't aware. In fact, he was very annoyed with himself. He had learned a lot from Tayuya's memories, and he couldn't escape the feeling that the body he had created earlier was just incomplete. And for some odd reason, even Tayuya's memories didn't feel right to him.

'_Somehow, somewhere, I remember what a body feels like. But why?'_

He gathered the things he could remember from the dreams and vague impressions, and started his work: a new body, so that he could interact with Temari once again. But gathering power to create such a body would take time. '_I went too far. I am still tired. Surprising, how fragile I am. But why does it feel like I should be far more powerful?'_

Life was troublesome. Especially those weird spots in his neck, that seemed to rearrange and alter his power every time another popped up. At least, it happened twice, and both times the results were rather unpredictable.

* * *

"You meant that these are just their young?" Temari whispered. She and Tayuya were high up in a tree, watching a group of about twenty predators that devoured what seemed to have been a large bear. Young or old, the poor bear would not have stood even a ghost of a chance against them.

With bodies of about thirteen feet long, and short and stumpy but lethal claws, these 'children' were already monstrosities. They seemed to be large lizards, armed with a mouth full of sharp, outward-pointing teeth, and their appetite was voracious.

As they watched, one of the young got a scratch on its crocodile-like snout, and the smell of blood threw the others in frenzy. "They hunt with their noses… Damn."

"What?" Tayuya didn't really get the point.

"It seems as if they react like that because of the scent of blood, we have to get out of here within the week," Temari subconsciously touched her stomach. "Unless you are first?"

"Eh? Oh, that shit… I had it days before we attacked you guys," Tayuya admitted, not at all confortable to discuss such a thing. "Ugh, why is this world always so fucking unfair to women. Monthly inconvenient crap."

"Tell me about it. Some of the elders of Suna once tried to create a jutsu to delay it, but I'm definitely not going to risk becoming sterile."

"You plan to get out of this shit and life a normal life?"

"Can't hurt to hope, can it? But let's go back. We have set a couple of new traps, got the bird from the trap I set two days ago, and collected enough fruit to last for a few days. I think we should focus on gathering supplies so that we can travel fast."

"Perhaps you're not as useless as I thought,"Tayuya smirked at the blonde.

"Meh, without my folding fan, I feel like I've lost a limb. But if I had kept that thing around, people would have recognized me right away."

"If you don't want to be recognized, you should do something about those stupid ponytails. And why are you even running?"

"Arranged marriage to ensure a fake peace between Iwa and Suna. Basically, I've been sold to become a sex slave," Temari grunted. Now that was an eye-opener for Tayuya.

'_Her life is as fucked up as mine… perhaps even worse, because I never had anything to lose in the first place, yet she lost everything dear to her and was cast out to suffer such a fate,'_ Tayuya shuddered a bit. She considered one of the very few benefits that working for Orochimaru brought: he was a scientist, not someone who would degrade men or women for their potential offspring. Ironically, the man had thought that the process was 'too messy and unpredictable'. Ironic, because, if you ever had to clean up his laboratory... well, one could argue that it was another definition of 'messy and unpredictable'.

Having lived the life Tayuya had, she knew very well how badly some women ended up. From that moment on, she tried to cooperate more with the blonde, because they understood each other's burdens.

"This world is a fucked-up place."

* * *

Having finished dinner, and leaving it to the two servants to clean up, Karin walked over to her silent companion. "Still nothing?" Kimamaro asked, despite already knowing the answer.

"Nothing that resembles what I saw at the site where the Four were killed."

"They're not all dead." Karin frowned as she heard him say it. "Orochimaru-sama said he felt three of them die, while the fourth just vanished for him."

"How did he feel… ah, those seals you wear," Karin deduced. "So there is a chance that one of them survived?"

"The seal cannot be removed without killing the one who wears it. They are all dead." As she had done so often during their trip, she wondered if the last heir of the Kaguya clan ever knew any doubts.

"If you say so. But I wanted to say that even while I put all my chakra into it, I can't find the one who killed them. There is a village to the south, and I felt a number of shinobi who have border patrol duty, but apart from them, there are only two signals that confuse me."

"What is confusing about them."

'_I really want to learn how he can ask questions without actually making the sound like questions,_' Karin mused. "Well, the signals themselves aren't that weird. One is approximately at the level of a jonin or high chunin, the other is a bit weaker but rather distorted, as if it is someone who is wounded and lacks control over his or her chakra. No, the weird thing is that they are in a north-westerly direction from us."

For the first time, Karin spotted a little change in the expression of Kimimaro. "The wastelands… draw the exact location on my map."

"Errr, can't I just come along?"

"You are too valuable to Orochimaru-sama. You will return to the base along with these two idiots. I will take care of whoever is crazy enough to go there."

"What's wrong with-"

"Monsters. The northern area is abandoned because of monsters. And while I am expendable, you are not. Orochimaru-sama has stated that he needs you, so I cannot allow you to take unnecessary risk."

"We don't even know if it is them who killed the Four. You don't know what you are up against."

"Only desperate people would go there. Besides, if they're only as strong as jonin or chunin I won't even need to use the second level, not even in my current condition. Orochimaru-sama found this important enough to interrupt my recovery, but he made it very clear that no harm is to come to you. And you know why."

Yes, being the last living member of the Uzumaki clan also meant that Karin knew she was the only one capable of a very specific – and unpleasant task. Becoming the next jinchuriki of the Kyuubi no Yoko. '_No matter how much Orochimaru-sama praises me, I can__'__t really look forward to that…__'_

* * *

Form. It wasn't just shape, but content that was the key. But the potential results frightened him a little. A fully-functional body required him to tie himself to that body. He would be bound to it, so it was imperative to create the right body in one go, because he knew that his energy would be severely diminished once he created this body.

'_So when does it feel right? I saw the forms of those that attacked me, but I know that is not the right form!__'_

The shapeless Genkuro was frustrated. Through his connection with Tayuya he felt that he needed to hurry up. He needed to make a choice, and fast. But how? How could he know, when he didn't even know who he was?

Because, his existence had not started that day amidst the flames, Genkuro was sure of it. How else he explain the fact that he could recall sights, sounds, smells, and sometimes even feelings, of things he never even experienced? Something was very wrong with him, but what? Had he broken his mind, just like Tayuya had?

'_Usually, I have felt completely detached, but due to my link with her… how can I measure the passing of time when I__'__m somewhere where time is of no consequence?__'_ Genkuro mused. On the other hand, the previous times, he knew a lot less about the world. Seeing the world through Tayuya's eyes really made his outlook change.

'_This is not the time, I have to hurry.__'_

But how? He felt panicked. Then, as happened before when he was pushed to the edge, flashes of memories entered his mind. '_Why is that old guy teaching me how to control my breath? It's damn useless without a body?!__'_

He noticed another young man next to him. His face, his black hair, Genkuro knew him. But unlike with the older man, Genkuro felt some unease as well. He wanted to keep up with his black-haired fellow student, but he felt something strange. He felt inadequate, weak, and powerless. Unable to impress the person whose heart he cherished.

He was a loser.

But why did he remember this specific moment, when he truly needed something else?

"Breathe in, then calmly breathe out, but only for a second longer then you breathe in," the old man said to his memory-self. "Don't compare yourself, only focus on you."

Genkuro felt his body calm, slowly breathing, focusing only on himself. Now he realized the unspeakable value of the memory. As he calmed down more and more, the control over 'his' body increased: he felt the pulse of blood that flowed through his veins, powered by the steady beating of his heart. He felt the cold air on his skin, warmed only by the soothing warmth of the spring sun. Genkuro felt in balance, with every limb was as it was supposed to be. Every sense was like Genkuro imagined it to be. Though the senses in his mouth were rather odd, considering how he never tasted anything for real. And why did he feel that hollow itch in his stomach, he wondered.

"Tsch, can't you even focus properly, loser?" his fellow student taunted 'him' after his stomach made the oddest growl Genkuro ever heard.

"Not everyone can be a freak of nature like you," he remembered himself saying.

"You two want something to eat?" a feminine voice sounded up behind Genkuro.

"Silence! Focus on your training, or you both will spend the rest of the day doing the tree-climbing exercise alongside her," the old man interfered.

"Ahhh, that's boring," Genkuro remembered himself whine, though he realized he wouldn't mind the company. "And I didn't do a thing, it's the same as usual, you're always favouring-"

The sequence of his memory suddenly ended. If he had a body, Genkuro would have voiced his frustration. '_Who was I? Who was that other boy? Who was the old man? I know I should remember them and their names, so why can__'__t I?__'_

But his frustration was cut short by the urgency he felt from Tayuya. Right. He now knew the general feeling of how his body should be. Details could always be altered later on. The issue he had was that his previous form was far too small in comparison to his memory. Then again, the size didn't really matter. He knew from Tayuya's memories that bodies became larger over time. Perhaps that was why Mari had always been tall compared to him?

Then again, this body which he had in mind, it was probably even taller. And broader. He recalled how hard the muscles in his arms had felt. How his chest he soared up and down during the breathing exercise.

'_It is time!__'_

How long it had been since he felt the comforting presence of 'Mari', the one who seemed to know everything, his guide, the anchor to his world, he marveled. She was the sole being that he had met and somehow recognized. He felt that he should know why. What else was hidden within his own maze of broken memories?

* * *

"Fuck! Why can't I move faster?" Tayuya cursed at herself.

"Well, if you weren't such a slowpoke, they wouldn't have been able to keep up," Temari remarked, seeing the redhead sweating from the effort to keep up with her.

"Well if you didn't start fucking bleeding all over the place earlier than expected, there wouldn't be any problem!"

"What can I do about that?" Temari shouted, rather self-conscious about the irritating fact that she had her period. And these lizard-like creatures were drawn to blood like flies to the fire. And the lizards were surprisingly fast. Not that they were sprinters, not with those short legs. They were build for endurance. And with their size and their numbers, they were a real threat. "Just keep up, there's a river not too far from here!"

Temari took the higher and more risky route through the forest, giving her a better view on their situation, while Tayuya stayed lower. The thicker branches made the fastest route for the tree-jumping kunoichi. However, with her messed up chakra, sustaining a decent speed was rather difficult.

Earlier, Tayuya was confused because most of her reasons to be constantly enraged had vanished, but right now, there was definitely no shortage of reasons. The only reason why there wasn't an unending stream of shouts and curses was that she was starting to lose her breath.

'_Fucking shit things! Get back to the fucking ocean you bunch of imbe__ciles,'_ were among the least-offensive of her thoughts. At least, until they reached the river Temari had described. "This is a fucking chasm, not a river, ya blonde bimbo!" she panted.

"Stop swearing, grab my hand." Tayuya stared at the hand that Temari stuck out at her. A life of betrayal and neglect was enough to doubt just about anything. And that was exactly what Tayuya did.

'_She__'__d drop me the moment her life is on the line. But what other option do I have?__'_

"Hurry up you idiot, they're gaining on us!"

"Okay bimbo, but don't you fucking let go!" Tayuya scowled.

Channelling all the chakra she could muster to her legs, Temari grabbed her companion and jumped. Did Tayuya think they were about to die? Yes, judging by the pale colour of her face, she really thought she was a goner- because she underestimated Temari.

Her control over wind chakra gave her the advantage she needed. Although she lacked her usual war fan on which she could glide through the skies, Temari was still capable enough to extend the jump by the precious few meters they needed to cross the chasm and not drop into the river below.

"Don't ever… make… me do that again," Tayuya still had a cramped grip on the blonde's arm, not even aware that she was so close to her counterpart.

Temari smiled. "Don't worry, let's find a place where we can rest, okay?"

* * *

Nothing happened correctly right away. The first attempt was a failure. The flesh was unstable, the frame was missing, and the skin… all Genkuro could do was incinerate the useless pile of flesh he had just created. Creating a truly solid form was more difficult than he had anticipated. As he saw his failed body, he felt several powerful heat signatures approach.

'_Perhaps I could uncover the secret to having solid form from them?__'_

Now, Genkuro was an optimistic person who hardly ever saw the bad side of things – especially due to his rather complete ignorance towards the ways of the world. But the monstrosities that appeared startled him. These were thirteen-foot long scaled creatures, horrors with mouths filled with sharp, outward-pointing teeth; they feasted on the burning flesh of his failed creation.

'_If I take their warmth, I have enough for a second attempt…'_

* * *

Temari had grown used to Tayuya's vulgarity, at least to some extent, but what the girl did right now was more than she had seen or heard these last few weeks.

"What is happening?" she asked, concerned by the obviously-pained redhead. "Are you all right?"

"What does it fucking look like?" the redhead groaned. "My head… it felt like my entire body just split apart and was put together. Hell, that hurt!"

"I know you're slow, but isn't this a little excessive?"

"I damn well know that I'm weak. I feel like a bloody cripple, not like one of that snake's elite. But that wasn't it."

"Afraid of heights?" Temari grinned. Having been cut off from normal social interaction for quite some time, having Tayuya near was quite refreshing. Sadly, the other girl had some anger issues, so most of her teasing and jokes went unappreciated.

"As long as I'm not dropped," Tayuya growled. "But what just happened was different. Perhaps he did it."

"Genkuro?"

Tayuya nodded and leaned back on the wide branch which she used to rest on. The chase had exhausted her more than it should have done, but she guessed it would require some time until she properly controlled her chakra again. After all, the cursed seal's influence had festered throughout her body, and having it suddenly removed made her feel like she just lost a limb.

"And, you know…" Temari hesitated a little. "I wouldn't have dropped you. We're in this situation together, and we're both indebted to the same person. But that shouldn't mean that we shouldn't help each other.. I mean, I don't have anyone else, I'm a traitor to my village, and an enemy to most others. Hell, the only villages that would harbor me, would only do it for the kids I could bear. I might not have my father's bloodline, but that won't stop them from trying," she said, disgusted by the scenario. "Iwa certainly wanted to try," she mumbled.

"…why would you want to trust me? I was there when your Kazekage was killed. Weren't you his daughter? You should hate me instead."

"What good would that do? My dad was an idiot, a power-hungry idiot who had no issues with using my kid brother as an experiment, even if it killed my mother. Besides, that wasn't you. The current you wouldn't do such a thing, would you?"

Tayuya frowned as she looked the pensive blonde in the eyes. "At that time, I wasn't drugged. I knew what I was doing."

"Wouldn't that only confirm how strong his control over you was?"

"What?"

"He trusted you enough to let you be more than a will-less slave. It only shows that Orochimaru knew that he already owned you. Didn't you say that that seal of yours affected you? He knew you had no way out. Well, no one but Genkuro would've been crazy enough to remove that seal, you told me that yourself."

"Yes, but…" Tayuya looked away. "That doesn't mean that I'm not despicable."

_Slap_.

"Don't you ever call yourself despicable," Temari hissed at the now completely shocked redhead. "We've got enough shit around us, we should stand strong and trust ourselves!"

"Easy for you to say," Tayuya mumbled, still looking at the blonde with wide eyes.

"I condemned my village to war and death, just because I didn't want to be some old pervert's sex-toy," Temari growled. "Don't you think I doubt my own decisions?" She sighed. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that… I just hate it when people hate themselves. I've done that enough, and I know that it doesn't get you anywhere."

Tayuya just nodded dumbly.

"So treat this like I did: a new chance! An opportunity to start a new life, free from all the mess we leave behind us."

"I doubt I can just leave my past behind. Orochimaru will chase me. I know too much about him, his hidden bases, his partners, and all the shit he did while I was part of his personal guard."

"Then we hide. That's why I said that we're in this situation together. I would rather hide together with someone, someone who understands the shit I'm in, than keep being lonely."

For the first time, Tayuya smiled. It was not her usual mocking smile, nor the feral 'I will devour you' predatory smile. No, it was a genuine smile, a happy smile. "Thanks, Blondie."

"Temari. Seriously, Genkuro constantly says it wrong as well, so if you use another name as well I'd better just forget my own name."

"Sorry," Tayuya chuckled. "I'm not used to this name-shit. I never call people by their names."

"Well, better get used to it," Temari pouted. "Just relax for a while, I'm going to look around for a bit, see if there's some vantage point where I can see where we should be going."

"'kay."

"And I'm the bleeding one, so you should be safe up here."

Tayuya looked around her, but just before Temari jumped down to the ground, she said: "Just be careful, okay?"

Looking back while she jumped to a lower branch, Temari smirked. '_She isn't so bad, after all. Just hurt, terribly hurt. And from what little she told me, I can't blame her either.'_

After a running for a while, Temari started to feel a little anxious. '_Those lizard things seemed quite persistent before. I doubt we would have too much time, if they find some other way to get across.'_

Temari scouted the area, vigilant for any sign of the aggressive reptiles, and annoyed for her lack of fortune to be a woman in this environment. Well, she was more annoyed about the misogynist world she lived in. She knew that if she had been a man, most of her problems wouldn't have even occurred. If she were a man, she wouldn't have been sold off like some trophy. They didn't suffer the same fate as women did in defeat or capture. They weren't 'expected' to remain home as the loyal housewife once they married. They weren't constantly underestimated and undervalued, just because of the preconceptions of society that women were the weaker gender. Their value wasn't just determined on basis of their outward appearance.

'_If. It's the magic word these days. If this. If that. If dad hadn't been tricked, if Gaara hadn't died, if… if..' _Temari blinked away a tear. '_Look at me, I am so pathetic. All those big words to encourage Tayuya, and here I am: doubting myself. I cannot allow myself to be weak right now. She is so fragile right now, if I mess up, she could fall back just as easy. I have to be strong. It's always easier to be strong for another.'_

* * *

Uncertain, he stretched his fingers. The molten carcasses still smoked, but that was all that was left from the reptiles. Drawn by his first failure of a body, they had come like moths to the flame. Ironic, because due to them feasting on the flesh, Genkuro could 'gather' enough energy to form a new and improved body, a body without the weaknesses of the first. However, the reptilian model wasn't feeling right for him. Genkuro altered the vertebra, as well as several other bones, to better fit his new body's structure.

But now, with his new body, he felt himself bonding with this creation of bones and flesh. And oddly, he felt stronger than ever. So much energy. So much warmth, all around him. And his own warmth was firmly contained within his body. Yes, breathing was weird at first, but at least the memories of the young man who was taught to control his breath were helpful. The other things were different. Moving required him to control his strength, and that was rather awkward. The imprint his body made in the tree in front of him was a testament of it.

It had introduced him to the emotion all living beings know, and learned to avoid: pain. Some of the strange liquid that pumped through veins he created left his body through the small rupture in his nose. Even the metallic taste in his mouth was oddly familiar. Cold, warmth, the stinging of a tiny flying creature that stole some of his blood; Genkuro felt it all, and that meant _everything_.

The endless flow of emotions, whether it was just a second, or an hour. Genkuro stood there, integrating all the new data, learning how the body worked, integrating the flow of impressions coming from his memories, all for the sake of his next movement. It was all for the sake of controlling his new body.

The next movement did not leave him head-first into a tree. No, this time he didn't use his warmth, he didn't use his energy, to take a simple step forward. Realizing how it amplified his every move, he knew that proper timing and control were necessary. To do this, even the things he learned from Tayuya's memories were insufficient. He needed his own.

He knew he had such memories, because when he really needed them they sometimes popped up. But there was no consistency, none at all. Big ones, small ones, broad, narrow, they came. He felt so many different impressions that he lost himself in the flow. But, he had known the same thing during his creation of his body. Back then, he just chose to replicate himself using the impression of the strongest form he had come across.

Perhaps this was what Temari once called age. The growth of his body, and the subsequent degradation and failure of it. To Genkuro, it made no sense at all, but he just accepted it.

'_I don't know a thing, but Mari does. She'll explain,'_ he thought. But he had to find them first. '_She will help, Mari always does!'_

* * *

"Chiriku-sama, a messenger bird arrived," a sweaty monk-in-training panted, after he had scurried inside when being allowed entrance to Chiriku's private office within the Fire Temple.

"What did it report?"

"There was another sighting. Arata-sama said he got close before the fire-kami disappeared."

"Any details?"

"No, although he stated they were close, and seemed to have been on the run from men of Otogakure. For some reason, he thought the western direction was the most probable direction where they went."

"They?" Chiriku's stern voice demanded.

"Arata-sama believes he sensed two different chakra patterns," the young monk bowed. The monk-in-training was responsible for all the messenger birds of the fire temple, as well as the verification of sent messages. Considering how this message wasn't marked as classified, he had decoded it in order to determine the urgency, as Chiriku was not a man who should be approached for every meaningless message.

The former member of the twelve guardian ninja was still a popular man in the nation.

Right now, the stern man's thick brows furrowed. "That would put them near the area Honen would explore," Chiriku sighed. "Ah well, let's hope he doesn't do anything stupid."

"Honen-senpai?"

"Yes," Chiriku smiled. "Send him a bird, telling him to be vigilant, that his target might be near. Oh, and remind him to remain humble. He'll know what I mean," he added. '_Honen may not know his heritage, but it certainly shows.'_

The monk-in-training nodded and bowed. Yes, Honen was talented, but his proud nature often surfaced at the wrong moments..

* * *

"If we keep heading south, we'd end up in the Land of Fire, but if I'm not mistaken, west-northwest would be Takigakure. Any ideas on what direction would be best?"

"Why are you asking me?" a little rest had done Tayuya well, but still she felt tired.

"Because, you know where Orochimaru could search for you. Either option is good for me. I'm not really wanted in Taki, while the Land of Fire is big enough to hide from Konoha. Especially because Konoha won't be searching for me, because I'm sure that they believe that I've died."

"The snake has some sort of partnership with the asshole running Konoha, so the Taki direction would be better."

"Orochimaru has bonds with Konoha?" Temari frowned.

"Yeah, that was what the attack was about," Tayuya sighed. "The snake was hired by that one-eyed fucktard called Danzo."

"Dammit, those morons plunged the entire region into war, just for the sake of power? Ugh, I should have known."

"Yup, the world sucks," Tayuya smirked at the sight of the flustered blonde. "Now, shall we go? There are lots of-"

Her head jerked to the side, staring into the woods. "What?" Temari asked before being shushed by the redhead.

Though neither of the girls could've foreseen what would happen next.

A young man jumped… No, scratch that, a stark-naked young man jumped out of the nearby tree, Tayuya observed. With his… well, with his _tools_ hanging out in the open, he crashed into the totally flabbergasted Temari.

"What the actual fuck?" Tayuya mumbled, dumbfounded. Looking down, she saw the nudist had caught Temari and landed on his feet. "Talk about expecting the unexpected. Well, at least he was a hunk. Too bad I've got to kill him for sexual assault. Though, for a moment… wait, those eyes, it can't be… Can it?"

On the ground below, the crimson Temari (with more than a little steam from her ears) screamed something unintelligible at the naked young man. Bashing him on his blond head, the only thing she cared about was creating some distance.

There was only one thing that stopped her in her tracks. "Mari?" the young man titled his head.

'_No way! There is no way that that is..'_ she stared into the churning flames that posed as eyes for the happy-go-lucky now-blond boy. _'Err, young man.'_ "Genkuro?" she whispered.

"Mari!"

When Tayuya came down, she frowned at the sight of a blushing Temari with a severe nosebleed, being hugged by the naked blond 'hunk'. Seriously, he was tall, muscular, and completely unlike his previous childlike appearance, but his body language gave him away. It was the body language and the eyes.

"It's him, isn't it?" she deadpanned.

Temari, not trusting her voice one bit, just nodded in response. At least, she managed to keep silent until she squeaked when Genkuro lifted her into the air. Spinning her around while laughing 'bigger than you now' at the dazed blonde.

Meanwhile, Tayuya didn't know what to think anymore. Through their link, she felt how overjoyed he was, and was happy for him. But on the other hand, one of the recently freed parts of her mind made her think: '_I wish I was the one swung around…'_

* * *

Wearing a frown on his face, Kimimaro looked down at the scene. His surprise was not due to the nose-bleeding blonde, nor the stark-naked young man who held her. Rather, Kimimaro stared at the perplexed and seemingly jealous redhead next to them. '_Tayuya is alive? After she had her seal removed? How? Not even Orochimaru-sama could reverse that process.'_

* * *

_Author's notes:_

* * *

Oh, lots of hints for how I planned this story to go on. After all, now Genkuro (Naruto) has a real body. And yes, this was the last time. I don't keep repeating the same trick over and over again! But to learn to take a solid form was something which took him a bit of time. Same goes for the memories, by the way. 'Genkuro' is but a temporary name; and could be considered a pun as well.

I look forward to continuing with the writing. With Genkuro/Naruto now physically having the appearance of a young adult, all things will no doubt become a little different. A naked child isn't that embarrassing, nor is a child hugging you, but when it's a physically attractive young man? That will take some time getting used to, because his personality hasn't changed! Making choices for pairings will be difficult… I look forward to reading your opinions on the matter in the **reviews**. What choice should I make?

As always, I thank my almighty beta: **Illuminated**. Credits to **Sgtvp** for the idea of the mental link between Genkuro and Tayuya. The monk 'Honen' was created together with **percy zoe and artemis fan**, who provided the ideas. Honen will play a role in the future chapters.

Yes, I'm always open to suggestions, even though I cannot and will not always follow them. I don't believe I can write a proper story if my heart isn't in it. So, first I'll have to listen to myself. Then, Illuminated is the most important voice I listen to. That said, I haven't nearly planned this story out as well as my other fic, so there's lots of room for additions, and sometimes even alterations, to the plot.

Till next time,

* * *

-Z-

* * *

As an added bonus, here are some stats. Not canon-proof stats, but my stats ;)

**Genkuro  
**The reincarnate Uzumaki Naruto (?) and/or Kurama, the Kyuubi no Yoko (?).

Gender: male  
Age: approx. 17-21*  
Height: 182.3 cm  
Weight: 75.7 kg  
Blood type: (presumably) B

Ninjutsu: 0  
Taijutsu: 0  
Genjutsu: 0  
Intelligence: 0.5  
Strength: 5  
Speed: 3.5  
Stamina: 5  
Hand seals: 0

Total: 14

Note: physical age impossible to pinpoint due to behavior. In terms of existence, he is eight months old. For some reason, he has two magatama in his neck. His current chakra reserves are comparable to a more experienced chunin, though his unique gift of consuming energy ('warmth') potentially gives him far larger reserves. He is completely untrained in the way of the shinobi right now.

_Additional: added a link to more information regarding Genkuro's name on my profile page._

**Temari**  
Formerly of Sunagakure, daughter of the late Kazekage, and betrothed to Ishikawa (46) of Iwagakure.

Gender: female  
Age: 17/18  
Height: 165.4 cm  
Weight: 44.1 kg  
Blood type: O

Ninjutsu: 2.5 (4)  
Taijutsu: 2.5  
Genjutsu: 1.5  
Intelligence: 4  
Strength: 3  
Speed: 2.5  
Stamina: 2.5  
Hand seals: 3

Total: 21.5 (24)

Note: still underweight due to not eating properly for a while. She left her giant folding fan behind, so her ninjutsu ability is somewhat diminished, considering how the majority of her strongest jutsu are based on her skill with the giant folding fan.

**Tayuya**  
A former member of the Sound Four, she is currently weakened due to removal of cursed seal.

Gender: female  
Age: 16  
Height: 159.8 cm  
Weight: 45.7 kg  
Blood type: A

Ninjutsu: 1.5 (3)  
Taijutsu: 1 (2.5)  
Genjutsu: 5  
Intelligence: 4  
Strength: 1 (1.5)  
Speed: 1.5 (3)  
Stamina: 1.5 (3)  
Hand seals: 4

Total: 19.5 (26)

Note: Tayuya's exact date of birth is unknown. Orochimaru noted the day (February 15) she was bought as her 'birthday', and estimated her to be six years old at the time.


	6. Roll the bones

**Pareidolia**

* * *

**Chapter six**

**Roll the bones**

* * *

"_As long as Man continues to be the ruthless destroyer of lower living beings, he will never know health or peace. For as long as men massacre animals, they will kill each other. Indeed, he who sows the seed of murder and pain cannot reap joy and love._"

― Pythagoras

* * *

"It's him, isn't it?" Tayuya deadpanned.

Temari, not trusting her voice one bit, just nodded in response. At least, she managed to keep silent until she squeaked when Genkuro lifted her into the air, spinning her around while laughing 'bigger than you now' at the dazed and confused blonde.

Meanwhile, Tayuya didn't know what to think anymore. Through their link, she felt how overjoyed he was, and was happy for him. But on the other hand, one of the recently freed parts of her mind made her think _'I wish I was the one swung around…'_

Tayuya sighed and shook her head in confusion. '_Where did that come from? That's not me, is it?'_ she wondered as she took a closer look. The little brat that she and her comrades had tried to attack while she was still with the Sound Four group was gone.

He had turned into young man who towered over twenty centimetres over her. His broad chest and his arms were muscular, but not excessively so. Still, he did not weigh an ounce too much, and she could clearly see his muscles flex. He was more sinewy than anything else. The typical lean build of a shinobi. The only things out of place about him were the two marks on his neck, one on each side of his spine. Though she wondered why his flaming red hair had turned into the spiky blond she now saw.

The said blond was totally unaware of Temari's uncomfortable position though, and Tayuya couldn't help but chuckle a little when she saw the last few fuses in the blonde's brain blow up.

"Oi, put her down, okay? You're gonna kill her if she keeps that nosebleed up," Tayuya stopped him. The moment he let go of Temari, who promptly sat down as she apparently did not trust her legs, Tayuya let out a breath she didn't know she was holding. '_Kami, what's going on with me? Pull yourself together you idiot! If I can roughly feel what he feels, what could he-'_

"Oh no, not me."

With a broad smile, Genkuro stepped forward, and Tayuya could just barely stop him. Her arms against his chest, Genkuro looked confused at the smaller redhead. "Yuya?"

"It's Tayuya, shithead!" Tayuya snapped. Inwardly, she immediately started to curse at herself for her lack of composure. If it had been possible, she would have removed that annoying blush from her face. In fact, she couldn't even look at his face.

Not that looking down helped her in lessening her embarrassment…

Swallowing away the lump in her throat, Tayuya pushed him back. '_Why don't I let him get a little closer to… No! No, don't go there, stop this right now, Tayuya,'_ she scolded herself. "I have a spare blanket in my packs, w-wait here."

Not waiting his answer, she turned away to hide her embarrassment.

"Kami-fucking dammit, what the fuck is going on with me? Why am I going full retard just because I see a naked guy," she softly cursed as she turned around so that she could focus on the sealing scroll that contained the blanket. With her knowledge of fuinjutsu, Tayuya rarely brought any packs, but instead sealed her stuff away in scrolls. Focusing on her scroll was harder than anticipated though.

In her defense, it should be noted that the only emotion she had really felt prior to the removal of her seal was anger. Her emotions ranged from being mildly pissed off to being completely furious. This kind of 'girlish' stuff, even though she had always looked down on it, had now come back and struck her hard.

Making matters worse, Genkuro was completely clueless as to the effect he had on the two flustered girls. Though one could also argue that it was his saving grace. After all, if he had realized what he did, and felt any arousal… Let's say the situation could've been a lot more embarrassing to both girls.

Still, Genkuro was mystified as to why Temari was sitting down on the ground, starting off into nothingness while absentmindedly wiping away the blood that had poured down from her nose. He did, however, feel how happy Tayuya was. Their bond was weird, considering how part of his soul resided in the place from which Orochimaru had exerted influence, but at the same time it gave him a strong sense of familiarity. After all, he had seen many of her worst memories. He knew her better than anyone- even himself.

Still, nothing he had experienced while living through her memories helped him in deciphering the complex flow of emotions that churned inside the petite redhead's heart. And without any experience of his own, Genkuro was at a loss. So, he did the only thing he knew that helped cheering people up. At least, it was the method that had always worked with Temari in the past.

Tayuya gasped when Genkuro hugged her, effortlessly lifting her a few centimetres from the ground. Not tightly, but gently and comforting. Had she not been so occupied with her own raging emotions, she might have noticed how he wanted to calm her down. But as said, the entire situation was rather unfortunate for the girl, because Genkuro achieved the exact opposite of what he intended to do. For the first time, Tayuya regretted having left behind her thick purple rope belt along with her hitai-ate from Otogakure. That belt, with its large knot behind her back, would have prevented at least _some_ of the embarrassment.

Because having his 'tools' press against her backside definitely did not improve the situation. No matter how flaccid he was at that moment. In fact, it was a sensation that would keep her from a peaceful sleep for the coming weeks. But right now, Tayuya did the same thing Temari had done: her brain gave out as it was unable to process the situation. Unlike the blonde, who had been too stunned to respond, Tayuya reacted in the only way she knew in her sixteen years of life: with violence.

A hard elbow in his stomach ended the hug. Genkuro, more from surprise than from having felt any pain, let go of the now crimson-skinned girl. Had any bystander been there, calling her a tomato at this point in time would be a very easy and correct way to describe her. Any person less clueless than Genkuro would know that it would be an extremely dangerous remark to make in her vicinity. No matter how correct it might have been. It's just that you'd risk spending a day or two in a particularly horrible genjutsu when you say it.

"P-put this on, you idiot," she screeched, rubbing on her elbow. '_Dammit, what is he even made of? I know he has some abs, but this is ridiculous.'_

"Blanket?"

"Yes, blanket, you moron, wrap it around your hips. You can't keep walking around like that."

"Why not?"

"Why not? You… I… You put that thing on you, or I'm going to fry your brain with the strongest frickin' genjutsu I know!"

Shrugging, Genkuro did as she demanded. Neither of the girls would be able to calm down anyway, after what had just occurred. The make-shift skirt did nothing to remove their embarrassment. True, both knew well enough what guys looked like, and all shinobi knew about human anatomy, after all. Both were raised with boys surrounding them, but having someone like him, completely naked, jump out of the woods and make physical contact with them in such a way… neither Tayuya nor Temari had any prior experience or know-how to deal with such a thing.

Genkuro did not think anything he had done was strange, not at all. He had done the exact same thing with Temari before. '_Is it this body? Is something wrong with it? I know the bonding process with it didn't go as it should have, but still… Even though it isn't perfect yet, it seems to operate quite nicely. I don't get it, why do they respond like something is wrong with it?'_

Putting a hand on Tayuya's head, he dragged the girl out of her daze. "Where do we go now? And will we stay together?"

"Yeah… Yeah, Blondie and I agreed we'd go to Taki first," Tayuya nodded dumbly, too busy with processing his words about 'staying together'. '_Get your retarded mind out of the gutter Tayuya. What's wrong with me!'_

"Hey? What's wrong?" she eventually wondered why he remained quiet.

Genkuro suddenly turned around, now looking up into the forest line. "Take Mari away. Stay out of this," he remained perfectly calm, only adding to her confusion.

"What?"

Genkuro turned his head to her, and showed a bright and innocent smile. "It is time to test my new body."

"I thought I kept my presence masked well enough," a voice which was terrifyingly familiar to Tayuya spoke up. She trembled when she saw her pale-skinned former teammate.

"Kimimaro," Tayuya whispered.

"Tayuya," he nodded. He wasn't going to beat around the bush. He did not have fond memories of this region, and wanted to take her back and get it over with as quickly as possible. "What is going on here? What happened to your seal, and how can you be alive while the other three are dead? Speak."

Tilting his head, Genkuro realized why his white-haired opponent seemed so familiar. He had been there, the day Orochimaru had 'purchased' Tayuya. This was one of the most powerful and dedicated soldiers Orochimaru had in his arsenal. Kayuya Kimimaro.

"Take Mari and leave. I will deal with him," Genkuro's voice was completely at ease, but his frown revealed that he was more serious then he let on. "Now."

Again, Tayuya could do little more than nod. She observed as Temari looked between the three of them, not realizing the gravity of the situation. She never had seen Kimimaro in action before- not like Tayuya, and Genkuro, by proxy- although Tayuya had her doubts that Genkuro fully understood.

"Who said I allowed them to leave?" Kimimaro felt a little annoyed. "She will answer my questions first."

"Tayuya will not. You will not bother her."

"Who are you, telling me what to do?"

"Genkuro."

Kimimaro raised a brow at that statement. Either his opponent was incredibly confident, or, incredibly dumb. Past experience taught Kimimaro that it was always the latter. _'Still, there is something off about him….' _"Hmm. I take it that you are the one who killed Sakon and those other pieces of trash? And now you think you are strong enough to beat me?"

Genkuro merely gave a carefree shrug in response.

'_They were sent out to capture a potential vessel for Orochimaru-sama_,' Kimimaro frowned. '_That means I am not allowed to kill you…_'

Dragging Temari along, Tayuya stopped at Genkuro's side. "You can't take him on alone. Let us help," she urged.

"You're even shorty-er than Mari," he grinned. He chuckled when he heard the angry growl the remark elicited. "You no worry. I have seen him," he lay his hand on her head to reassure her. "I will be fine."

"You just returned, are you sure?" Temari wondered aloud.

"Come," Tayuya dragged her blonde companion along. "And don't you fucking dare to lose, you hear me!" she snapped at Genkuro.

"Wait, you can't let him-"

"Do you think I want to leave him behind?" Tayuya hissed at Temari. "He wants us out of here. Either he's going to fuck up the entire area, or he thinks he's going to lose."

"Lose? How would he-"

"Stop arguing, start running, ya retard! You don't even begin to understand how strong Kimimaro is! If he wasn't such a loyal damned lapdog for Orochimaru, I bet he could even take down that pasty rat-fucker in a one-on-one battle. Who do you think took down the Kazekage? Genkuro knows- he has seen it in my memories. He knows full well the scale of destruction Kimimaro can cause. Once he starts one of his dances," Tayuya shuddered involuntarily and started again. "Once he starts one of his dances, the entire area will become a murder zone."

Temari sighed, not happy, but at least complying. On the other hand, she had witnessed the destruction Genkuro could cause, and doubted that there was anything in this world capable of facing that power. Unless his new body changed things…

* * *

Kimimaro grimaced slightly. The phalanges he shot, aiming to cripple Tayuya and preventing her to run away, were blocked. Genkuro had just sidestepped, right into the bullets' trajectory. And what made the Kaguya grimace was the utter lack of effect.

Normally, the bones would have pierced his opponent. But now, they only penetrated the flesh, creating shallow wounds. Wounds which healed as he watched. And the bullets being forced out of the flesh before the wounds closed.

'_High speed regeneration? This might become interesting. Then again, a body with such regenerative capacity would be perfect to sustain Orochimaru-sama. Still, Kabuto warned me not to use my seal. Releasing the first level would harm me enough to undo most of my recovery. That illness… even though Kabuto found a partial cure, my inability to use the gift Orochimaru-sama bestowed upon me is annoying. But if things go bad, I could at least use the first level. Then again, if this 'Genkuro' is even stronger, he would also pose a threat to Orochimaru-sama. Using the second level of the cursed seal of earth would be warranted, even if that means my inevitable death.'_

Kimimaro sighed. He disliked weakness, and the illness that had nearly taken his life had made _him_ weak. While he was a skilled as ever, in his current condition he knew he had less stamina, and was slightly slower as well.

Weaknesses which he used to exploit in his adversaries had now befallen him.

"If ninjutsu has so little effect, taijutsu would be the best way to subdue you."

"You can try," the blond young man, clad in his blanket-made-skirt, smiled.

* * *

Corpses were littered around him. A tall man with his waist-length, spiky white hair tied back into a pony tail, stood in the middle, indifferent to the scene. Well, not wholly indifferent… if one paid attention, one could see that the red lines that ran down from his eyes were a little contorted, signifying the smallest of scowls Jiraiya of the Sannin allowed himself.

"Why was I ambushed by these idiots right now?" he muttered.

'_Tsunade-hime sent me a letter, and the necklace was the real deal. She wouldn't have attached it to the message if she wasn't in deep shit… not to mention that both the coding of the message and this specific spot were only known to the three of us.'_

Suddenly everything started to make sense. The ambushers, their fighting style showed the tiny quirks he recognized from his friend's style of fighting. '_Even worse, this might be the reason why Tsunade acted to oddly when I asked her to come back to Konoha. Was she somehow involved with Orochimaru's schemes?'_ Jiraiya's scowl only got deeper. '_She would never willingly work with him, not after Dan, not after Nawaki…'_

Jiraiya gasped. "How could I have missed this… the rumors that sensei managed to cripple Orochimaru, his ability to revive the dead, and Tsunade's longing for her lost ones. If Orochimaru was indeed injured, then Tsunade would be the best healer he knows.. And he has the perfect coin to pay her. The _only_ coin. Dammit! How could I be so stupid!" While normally laid back, the toad sage was now furious. "You betrayed Konoha! How could you, hime?"

It would take days before the older man's rage subsided a little. Only then would he realize that Tsunade would never willingly part with her grandfather's treasured heirloom. Only then would he realize how much time he wasted on this foolish errand. One which had obviously been a distraction. Because this little ambush was definitely no attempt to hurt him.

Though for what reasons had Orochimaru wanted to distract Jiraiya?

* * *

Kimimaro frowned as he bent his wrist. "Impressive. It seems you are not the total idiot you seem to be."

Not that his opponent responded. Genkuro was still preoccupied with his new body.

'_It seems I have to find the right proportions of warmth to amplify my movements. At first, that Maro man's speed was way above mine, but now I'm getting closer. It's just… it seems as if he sees my attacks coming.'_

On his end, Kimimaro was annoyed by the apparent increase in speed of his opponent. Worse, even, was that his speeds kept increasing. '_As if he is only just learning how to fight. It makes no sense. He has no taijutsu style whatsoever, and still he is strong enough to put dents in the dense layer of bone underneath my skin. How?'_

Again, Kimimaro took the initiative. Genkuro tried to dodge, but he was too slow. Well, it didn't help much that his movements were as obvious as they could get: even if Kimimaro was slower, he still would have the advantage.

Fists hit flesh, and Genkuro once again felt the unpleasant sensation of pain. But before he could repay Kimimaro, the latter darted back and started circling again.

"At this rate, I lose," Genkuro considered.

"That would be the point."

"Tayuya said I am not allowed to lose."

"The weak will perish, the strong will rule. That is how the world works. It is not a matter of what you want or not, it is a matter of strength."

"Then I should use more warmth," Genkuro smiled.

"I wasted enough time," Kimimaro remarked. He sent chakra to the upper arm bones of his left arm, and draw out a short, bone-hilted bone sword. "Tsubaki no Mai. The lowest of my abilities, the dance of the camellia, let's see how you fare against this."

Genkuro felt confused by the apparently chaotic manner in which Kimimaro started to lash out with the makeshift sword. While the attack was continuous, no pattern was followed. Each movement was irregular, which would normally make it very hard to predict when and where to block. Genkuro, however, never had any shred of training. Searching for patterns was not something he was capable of.

Being stabbed multiple times was starting to annoy him, and it was where Kimimaro made a mistake. The bone sword pierced Genkuro's chest. It would have scored an incapacitating hit, ordinarily, but in Genkuro's case it mattered little what organ was damaged. It all healed anyway. No, the mistake was that his slippery opponent finally had put himself within reach.

And when his fist crushed the Kaguya's chest, Genkuro felt something he had never felt before, not as himself, at least. It was an emotion he had encountered in Tayuya's memories: bloodlust. Kimimaro flinched visibly when Genkuro struck his head with another massive fist.

Perhaps Genkuro was untrained, but his chakra-amplified strength was no joke.

Spitting out blood, Kimimaro began to realize that he did not have as much of an advantage as he thought. '_He keeps healing himself. And he does not seem to exhaust either.. Perhaps I should stop trying to capture him, and instead use lethal force. I'm confident he will survive most of my attacks while I am not using Orochimaru-sama's gift. But if I continue at this pace I am the one who will run out of stamina. Still, I have to try to defeat this guy without sacrificing too much of my health.'_

Pulling out the bone blade, Genkuro clenched his fists. The sound of shattering bone unnerved Kimimaro a little. "While it is not my strongest bone, that blade would have been capable of shattering a steel blade. Impressive. I suppose it warrants the use of my third dance, Karamatsu no Mai."

Genkuro frowned as he saw several bones pop out of his opponent's body. He had once seen a hedgehog, though he immediately discarded the idea that Kimimaro was in any way similar to that odd little creature.

* * *

"Fuck… Kimimaro is still just toying with him," Tayuya grumbled.

"Toying?" Temari couldn't help but feel worried at this statement. Although they were true to their word and created a distance between themselves and Genkuro, they had still decided to keep an eye on the fight. From the top of a particularly high tree, the duo followed the battle. They saw how Genkuro's sloppy movements gradually refined, but at the same time recognized that Kimimaro outclassed him.

"Should we help him?" the blonde wondered.

"Even if I wanted to… Kimimaro could wipe the floor with the Sound Four. Sure, he may have weakened due to getting ill, but he's sure as hell stronger than we are."

"I don't get it. Why doesn't he just burst out in flames, like he always does to crush his enemies…" Temari mumbled, and the two kept looking.

* * *

Karamatsu no Mai was the third of Kimimaro's five dances. From his body, several bones stuck out, ready to block any incoming attack. And the more powerful the attacker, the stronger the counter attack was. At least, that was the general idea…

Genkuro just punched right through it, ignoring any damage the bones did. And the bones which blocked the attack just snapped. After all, the arrangement of thin bones was designed to maim any attacker, not as a line of defense that could withstand any force. This jutsu, with made Kimimaro practically untouchable at close range, was just ignored.

Picking himself up from the ground, Kimimaro dodged another blow just in time. And seeing the degree of collateral damage of that strike made him reconsider. '_He was holding back… I don't know how, nor why, but his strength just keeps growing. This is dangerous. It seems like he is unable to control his chakra, but if he did, he would become a threat. This body is too dangerous for Orochimaru-sama._'

Kimimaro sighed. "Too bad. It appears I will have to destroy you. It seems like defeating the Sound Four wasn't a fluke. Though I would like to know how Tayuya removed her seal. If I had to take a guess, I'd say it was you…"

"I burned him away. I burned the darkness from Tayuya. And I will not allow you to hurt her ever again."

"…yes, I was right. You _are_ a threat."

Kimimaro resigned himself to his fate. For him, there wasn't a sacrifice great enough to repay Orochimaru. The prospect of another long recovery was troublesome to say the least, but he had to use the first level of his cursed seal of earth. The seal, which consisted of three slightly curved lines, started to stir. A rip-like pattern spread over Kimimaro's body, and he groaned a little as he felt his body strain. The illness had left him weakened, he knew, but activating the cursed seal for the first time since his illness was far more taxing than he remembered.

Still, it offered a tremendous increase in strength. Kimimaro felt his chakra surge, while his physical strength had grown to the same remarkable degree. Then again, the cursed seal of earth was one of the two strongest seals Orochimaru gave to his most trusted followers. For Kimimaro, the cursed seal of earth was by far the strongest, as the cursed seal of heaven did not offer the same kind of boost to his particular abilities.

"Two years.. For two years I haven't felt this power. I am curious how long you will last now."

It was the final warning Genkuro got. In a flash of movement, Kimimaro vanished and reappeared right in front of him. A harsh beating followed. Pointy bones tore at Genkuro's flesh, and the loss of blood made him feel weary.

True, it was counter to his expectations that Kimimaro was forced to use his cursed seal. But now that he did, Genkuro stood no chance at all. Kimimaro was too fast, and there were too many bones.

* * *

"Fuck this shit, I'm not going to wait any longer!"

"Wait," Temari grabbed the redhead by her arm. "What are you planning to do? This guy is strong. We can't just mindlessly attack him. Especially not in your condition."

"Cheh, why don't you look at yourself, Miss Nosebleed."

"Be serious, Tayuya," Temari scolded. "We know that the destruction of his body isn't enough to stop Genkuro, even though it hurts me to watch him suffer like this. But we can't pointlessly throw away our lives!

That stopped Tayuya from resisting. Well, for a moment. "You think so little of him?"

"What is he to you?"

"What?" Tayuya felt a blush creeping up, and not merely due to her growing anger. "He saved me, he gave me my life back, and Kami be damned if I'm going to just stand and watch how Kimimaro rips him apart. I can't. To hell with it, I'm helping him whether you like it or not."

"Then what are you going to do? If we work together…"

"Genjutsu. It might not be strong enough to hold him for a long time, but if I hit him with one while he is off his guard, it will buy us some time."

"Can you hold him long enough for me to get close and hit him?"

"What are you planning? You see him, right? That fucktard has the best defense I've ever seen- and his offensive power is even greater. You just grab Genkuro and we make a run for it."

"No," Temari scowled. "I'm not running away again. I've got enough enemies tailing me already. I'm tired of being afraid. No, with some wind chakra added to it, I should be able to pierce anything, and from a close distance even his defenses should be insufficient. Bones or not, it will be enough to at least cripple him."

* * *

Genkuro coughed. He trembled as he felt the bone that spiked through his back. He had made the mistake of focusing on his opponent, while forgetting about his surroundings. Being impaled by a large bone spike from the back was his 'reward'.

Drawing out a new and much stronger blade of bone, Kimimaro walked calmly towards his beaten opponent. "I could risk taking you back alive, but somehow I doubt that you would even be stopped if I cut off your limbs. You'd just regrow them. No, I shall bring your corpse so that Orochimaru-sama can study it."

Stopping before his opponent, Kimimaro lashed out with his blade, stabbing the blade right through Genkuro's heart. After releasing the bone spike, Kimimaro grabbed his fallen enemy by the hair, dragging him along. "Now I will take a look for those little rats, Tayuya can't have gotten too far."

* * *

Tayuya nodded towards the blonde. Kimimaro walked away, mumbling at himself while he was in whatever genjutsu Tayuya had put him in. The ghostly sounds of her flute made Temari shiver a bit, but there was no denying her skill.

But there was no time for admiration. Temari moved quickly, pulling Genkuro close, as she inspected his injuries. Sadly, Tayuya had been too late to prevent the bone spike from piercing Genkuro, but at least the strike from Kimimaro's blade was a miss. Still, the injuries were grave. Temari felt pained as she saw his pale skin and the bloody gap from where the spike had pierced him.

"Don't die," she whispered. She couldn't stay with him. No, she had to follow the plan. Drawing out a kunai, Temari started to focus her chakra, condensing it into the most lethal blade of wind chakra she could possibly form. '_It is a far cry from the blades Baki-sensei could create- that style never really fit with my war fans…'_

* * *

He had lost control over his body. He was aware of the fact, but he couldn't do anything to stop it. '_Now what? This is annoying…'_

He was trapped inside his own dying body. '_Perhaps I can only reform after this body is completely destroyed? I have no idea how strongly I'm bound to it… then again, I also don't know why I couldn't reach out with my warmth. It was all trapped. Troublesome. Without my flames, how could I gather new warmth?'_

Genkuro sighed, even though he didn't have a body to sigh with. This place was akin to Tayuya's mirror maze, although completely different at the same time. Looking around, Genkuro felt impressed by the sheer size of the… The wherever he may be.

"Is this my mind, like that maze was hers?" Genkuro wondered. "But why is it so vast? And what's with all these shards?" He looked out over the vast hall. In Tayuya's mindscape, the mirrors had given the weak light that illuminated the hall. In this place, his own mindscape, the shards gave that same weak glow.

"So these are my shattered memories?" Genkuro sighed as he picked up one of the shards. So much anger and frustration he felt from that piece. But not just that: isolation, complete loneliness, a pain as if a knife was tearing through his chest. "Is this… me?"

The hypnotic power of the shard was quickly broken though. Something had changed. Fundamentally so. As if the ground underneath his feet had become solid. As if he had become rooted in _something_.

At that moment, he was assaulted by two things. First and most urgent was the horrible pain in his waist. It was the spot where the bone had pierced him. Secondly, he felt his neck burn up.

The third magatama had come forth, placed right on top of his cervical spine. This was his anchor, what would bind him to the world of the living, even though he was neither living nor dead. He stood outside reason, outside life and death- not that Genkuro knew. No, he did not consider it to be odd that he could not die.

Oh, how ignorance can be a blessing…

Because the synchronization had yet to begin.

* * *

Tayuya started sweating. She wanted to look at her blonde companion. She wanted to urge her to hurry up. But Tayuya knew that even a little mistake would mess up her concentration, and she needed every little bit of it to keep Kimimaro enthralled in her illusion.

Meanwhile, Kimimaro slowly walked on. Tayuya kept the flow of time in his illusionary world distorted, giving Temari an even greater chance to mortally wound their opponent.

It was an opportunity that Temari did not want to miss. She bore two kunai, one in each hand, both covered in a thick layer of bluish chakra. '_This should do it. I have to aim one at his spine, and the other at his heart. No, his heart first. I bet he protected his skull most of all, but there are much more limitations with his chest. Or else he would be unable to move.'_

Slowly and with as much caution as she could muster under the circumstances, Temari closed in on the slowly walking Kaguya Kimimaro.

She aimed…

* * *

Kimimaro looked at the tree he just passed. Something was off. '_That tree… I passed it before, didn't I?'_

Suddenly he spurred open his eyes. '_Tayuya! Even if she is weakened without her seal, her prowess with genjutsu is still-'_

That was all the time Kimimaro got. Something pierced his chest, and the genjutsu broke. The realization he had felt from recognizing the illusion was the only thing that saved him, the only thing that prevented him from being caught fully off-guard. Only that gave him the precious fraction of a second he needed. Out of reflex, he dodged. The second kunai, aimed at his neck, missed. And due to his movement, while the first kunai pierced his lungs, it had missed his heart.

"Oh crap," Temari muttered. Suddenly, she was very close to a very annoyed Kimimaro.

She was still a highly trained kunoichi, however. Kimimaro was wounded enough to slow him down just that fraction that Temari needed to evade his attack.

Leaping back, the first thing Temari wanted was to create a distance between them. And considering how Tayuya's position was still hidden, Temari maneuvered in such a way that the red-haired girl could get an opportunity to attack him from the back.

As he was staggering on his feet, Kimimaro realized that he was unable to follow her. '_My lung is punctured… A futon user of such skill, I had not expected that. I was foolish to underestimate them. Thinking that this 'Genkuro' was the only one worth fighting of the three was clearly a misconception. And now what,'_ he looked around him. His wounds had already closed. The razor-sharp kunai has gone right through him, even the thin layer of bone underneath his skin had proven to be unable to stop it. '_Annoying. If that blade had gone only a little to the left, I would have been dead right now. But I cannot heal such internal injuries… I'm already dead, even if my body doesn't know it yet.'_

Ten bullets, his Teshi Sendan, shot out. If Kimimaro died, he would least take his adversaries down with him. Despite his determination, his found himself grimacing at the sight of the running blonde. "Another genjutsu… This will be your last, Tayuya," he whispered with an icy voice.

It was just the kind of distraction she needed.

Granted, she was running, so her aim wasn't as good as it could be, and she had little time to prepare it, but… Kimimaro growled in annoyance as he pulled the kunai from his shoulder.

"Enough games!" he stabbed his hand into the wounded shoulder and dragged his scapula out. With his manipulation, the bone looked more like a disc. A disc with razor-sharp edges.

Tayuya tried, but failed to once more distract their enemy. Temari fell with the disc sticking in her thigh. Stumbling, the blonde crashed to the ground. Gritting her teeth in a futile attempt to just bite away the pain, Temari could only watch as Kimimaro approached.

'_Crap, my muscles are torn..'_

"Hey, shithead, here I am!"

Temari groaned when Tayuya revealed her position in an attempt to distract Kimimaro.

But the last descendant of the Kaguya bloodline only focused on one target. The girl had wounded him not just once, but _twice_. Tayuya could wait. Standing in front of the downed blonde, Kimimaro drew out another blade. He coughed, as blood flooded his pierced lung, but he had enough time to deal with these nuisances.

Tayuya jumped forward, but she cursed herself for being slow. She cursed herself for making such a mistake. She had trusted him. He said he could do it, and she _believed_ him, and now they would all pay for her foolishness. Sure, he would just reform again, but for Temari and her it would be definitive. And though she only knew the blonde for a little while, she did not want to see the girl dead. It was ironic. In her past life, Tayuya knew they might very well have opposed each other without a moment's hesitation. But her life as Orochimaru's soldier was over. She was free, free in mind, body, and soul. She could think her own thoughts, feel her own emotions, and move her own body.

After Genkuro freed Tayuya, Temari was the first one who acknowledged her as an actual person, rather than a tool or an inconvenience. She was the first one to care about who Tayuya really was. As much as Tayuya despised this kind of emotional baggage, she even considered the blonde as a _friend_. And friends helped each other, no matter what, right?

With a cry, Tayuya threw herself at Kimimaro's back. Kimimaro, who had not expected such a reckless move, was knocked out of balance. It confused Kimimaro that the usually so distant and 'angry at the world' girl would go as far as to put her life on the line for people she had hardly even met.

"Fool," he hissed swatting her away like a fly. "You'll die soon enough. But if you care so much, I'll kill this piece of trash first, right in front of your eyes, so that you can see it…"

His blade hovered over the neck of the blonde, who had resigned herself to her fate. "I'm sorry," she sighed, looking Tayuya in the eyes. "Go. Run!"

"No."

Kimimaro tried. With all his might, he tried to move the blade down. But the iron grip on his arm prevented it.

"You were dead," Kimimaro looked at his revived attacker. "I killed you.."

"No," Genkuro repeated himself, while his eyes spit fire. Not figuratively, but literally. The churning orbs of flames were literally sparking. As if his out of control rage manifested itself. "You caused enough pain."

Spikes of bone shot out, wounding Genkuro's arm enough for Kimimaro to free himself from his grip. "Fine then. If I die anyway, I might as well go all ou-UGH!"

Genkuro had had enough of all the talk. He simply backhanded his enemy, swatting him away from the two girls. Then, bowing down, Genkuro examined the wound in Temari's leg. "Not move," was the only warning Temari got before he pulled out the disc-shaped bone that had struck her down. Before she could bleed out, because the wound was deep enough for it, Genkuro put a hand on her leg. Warm chakra started to spread, and to Temari's amazement the pain subsided.

"No blood, but not healed," Genkuro told her, as he pulled back his hand. "Heal you later, after he dies."

Turning back, Temari was shocked so see a glowing curved, comma-shaped sign in his neck. Between the two he already had, now a third magatama had appeared.

While Genkuro healed Temari, Tayuya kept an eye on their enemy. Kimimaro had been knocked back, and his confusion about the situation was clear to her. Even though Kimimaro barely showed any emotions, Tayuya knew him well enough. Working alongside him for several years, fear had taught her well. Knowing when he was approachable or not was something she and all the members of Orochimaru's bodyguards had to learn quickly- or end up like Jirobo's predecessor.

Tayuya gasped as she saw his skin darken. '_Impossible! After he healed, Kabuto told us that Kimimaro couldn't use the second level of his seal any longer!'_

She was startled when Genkuro's hands touched her face. Cupping her cheeks, he gently forced her to look at him. "Take Mari, and go. No coming back you will this time," he warned her. Though, she felt through her link with him that he was worried, not angry at angry at her. The bruise that had been caused by Kimimaro's hit quickly healed at his touch. "Go, Tayuya."

Tayuya nodded, and moved to Temari's side. "Just try to be more careful this time, okay?"

"Do. Or do not. There is no try. I will win," Genkuro declared. He saw how Kimimaro grew a tail, and frowned a bit at the peculiar sight. "Now go."

"We can help," Temari protested. "I won't let you face that freak on your own again. I'm not some damsel in distress that always needs to be rescued!"

"You are wounded. Tayuya is weakened. And I cannot share more warmth. Not yet. I don't understand anything, but you do, so I cannot risk you. Neither of you. Especially not against him," Gekuro said grimly. "I gave my word that I would not lose. I never go back on my word!"

As Tayuya supported her and they ran away, Temari couldn't help but somehow feel a shiver when she heard that oath. His promise, with that undying determination behind it, it sounded so familiar… but why? From when?

* * *

'_His strength.. How could it have increased like this? I'm positive I impaled him. That had not been a genjutsu. I saw him bleeding after I broke out of the illusion. And that beige blanket he is wearing, it is soaked with his blood… so how can he still stand?'_

Kimimaro struggled to get up his feet again, and glared as his opponent. By the time the girls scurried from the battlefield, Kimimaro had fully released the second level of his cursed seal. His skin had turned dark grey, and six large bone spines protruded from his back. And if this wasn't inhuman enough, he had also grown a long bone-spiked tail. His appearance alone was enough to demoralize most opponents.

'_I will need the boost in physical strength to keep up with him,_' Kimimaro mused. '_But I am slower in this form.. Not to mention that I have but little time left in me.'_

His hand went to his back while Genkuro strode towards him. "Tessenka no Mai: Tsuru," Kimimaro groaned. Ripping his own spine out was a sensation he strongly disliked, but the spiky bone whip was the first move of his 'dance of the clematis'.

Genkuro could not have cared less. This shinobi had harmed both Temari and Tayuya. The worst part to Genkuro was that it was all due to his own failure. The rising temperature was the first indication of his anger. The temperature that rose so quickly that it sparked a fire in some of the nearby dry wood.

Genkuro's eyes had always been odd. While he saw everything perfectly clear, there was one little bonus that the churning orbs of fire brought him- control over his fire. He governed the element that constituted his actual body with the eyes. Although, in his new body, he had not been able to do this- not yet.

Previously, he had to disintegrate the outer shell of his body in order to control his flames. But in this newly formed body, he was unable to do that. Unlike before, this wasn't just a shell. This was a real body, and he was bound to it now. Perhaps it was merely logical that his normal abilities were different in this form. After all, the fire he had created was not the all-consuming flame he usually spawned while in his unformed body- but it was lethal enough.

All he needed to do was refine his control over it.

Not even blinking when Kimimaro wrapped the bone whip around him, Genkuro focused on the buds of fire he had started. Manipulating it was rather odd. There was an 'out of body' sensation, almost, even though these flames were but pathetic copies of the flames that formed his true body. Unlike those flames, which were part of his body, these flames were not part of him. Still, the flames bent to his will, flowing around him.

"Tessenka no Mai: Hana," Genkuro heard his opponent announce the 'flower' of his dance of the clematis. The extremely thick and destructive spear formed the bones growing around his left arm. Genkuro noticed the destructive power, and realized that being immobilized by the whip was a bad situation for him.

He would not fail again.

Gritting his teeth, Genkuro broke the bone contraption that held him. '_Enough of this stupid game. He will no longer spread pain!'_

Dodging the devastating attack from Kimimaro's lance, Genkuro couldn't help but be impressed by the destruction that single jab caused. But, it was a slow and easy to dodge attack. That was why Kimimaro needed that whip in the first place. The destructive power was useless if the enemy could just dodge it.

'_Is he that strong? Could he break my vine with pure brute strength? Or has my illness weakened me this much?'_ Kimimaro wondered as he coughed up blood again. Yes, Kimimaro had weakened a lot more than he had anticipated. The transformation alone had crippled him. He sighed. If this were to be his final move, it might as well be great. Whatever it took to remove threats to Orochimaru from this world, Kimimaro would do it.

"Sawarabi no Mai." The last of his five 'dances', the dance of the seedling fern was by far Kimimaro's most devastating attack. Countless bones rose from the ground, spreading through a large network that originated from his feet. This move would consume every drop of chakra left to him, but his only consolation was that there was no way Genkuro could dodge this.

It was a sacrifice worth dying for.

"Chire," Kimimaro smiled as he whispered his final command. The uncountable bones that had risen from the ground around him did as he commanded: they scattered. With the smile still on his face, Kimimaro would die standing in the center of his own suicidal technique. '_I apologize Orochimaru-sama… at least your new container will arrive soon. I have little doubt that she will be inferior to this Genkuro, but he is too dangerous… Too bad I couldn't muster enough chakra to take down Tayuya along with him…'_

Shards of bone ground everything to shreds, until the Kaguya clan finally reached its extinction.

* * *

_Author's notes:_

* * *

Such an evil cliffhanger… Almost as evil as Orochimaru himself!

It's been a while since I've written such a long battle sequence. Usually not a big fan of long-ass descriptions of battles, but this one… well, for some odd reason this fight was relatively easy to write. Combat is so much harder to write than regular scenes. Ah, my only regret would be my inability to draw. How I'd love to have drawn out this chapter. Especially the start of the chapter…

Writing the opening scene was one the most enjoyable things I've done while writing so far. Genkuro's cluelessness, Temari's shock, and Tayuya's general lack of experience with any emotion other than anger. It's a good recipe for collateral damage, don´t you agree? Then again, I might suck at the fluffy stuff, I don't know, but I'll keep trying. So, help me improve if you think it should be better! It's definitely a more constructive option than sending threats or flames…

And as usual, I humbly thank my beta **Illuminated **for his good work! And thanks in advance to those who take their time to delight this author by rewarding him with **reviews**! I'm looking forward to see how many people found the 'hidden' quote..

* * *

-Z-

* * *

**Kimimaro**

Orochimaru's strongest soldier, even in his weakened condition.

Gender: male  
Age: 17  
Height: 173.2 cm  
Weight: 52.8 kg  
Blood type: A

Ninjutsu: 4  
Taijutsu: 5  
Genjutsu: 3  
Intelligence: 4  
Strength: 2.5  
Speed: 4 (4.5)  
Stamina: 2.5 (4.5)  
Hand seals: 3  
Total: 28 (30.5)

Notes: Kabuto partially healed his illness, allowing him to return to active duty, even though he can only use his Cursed Seal as a last resort now. Due to his illness, Orochimaru deemed it unlikely that Kimimaro's body would ever sustain him.

**Jutsu and tranlations**

Teshi Sendan = Ten-Finger Drilling Bullets (literal), Digital Shrapnel (TV)  
Yanagi no Mai = Dance of the Willow  
Tsubaki no Mai = Dance of the Cemellia  
Karamatsu no Mai = Dance of the Larch  
Tessenka no Mai: Tsuru = Dance of the Clematis  
\- Tsuru = Vine  
\- Hana = Flower  
Sawarabi no Mai = Dance of the Seedling Fern (literal), Bracken Dance (TV)  
\- Chire = Scatter

_**Edit**: had some issues with the horizontal lines which I use to separate paragraphs. Seems to be an issue related to Firefox, rather than this specific document, 'cause I've seen the issue in my other chapters as well. IE renders the page perfectly, while on ff there constantly are a few lines missing. Weird bug and reported. Z.  
_


	7. Honen

**Pareidolia**

* * *

**Chapter seven**

**Honen**

* * *

"_A proud man is always looking down on things and people; and, of course, as long as you are looking down, you cannot see something that is above you._"

― C.S. Lewis

* * *

"Orochimaru-sama?" a young man with black rimmed circular glasses strode through the dark hall from which his master had summoned him.

"Kabuto… I want you to set out and retrieve Karin," the pale snake sennin said from behind his desk. To the untrained eye, one might assume this man was busy studying whatever data was laying in front of him; to Kabuto, however, the scene told of something completely different- to such a degree that even Yakushi Kabuto took a step back.

Staying too close to a furious Orochimaru was not a position in which most people had a long life expectancy.

"Karin? I thought Kimimaro was with her," Kabuto frowned. Despite his concerns, Kabuto could not shake off the thought that Orochimaru had made a grave mistake by not listening to his advice. "Is it Kimimaro's health again?"

""You might say that.." Orochimaru's eyes narrowed, staring at his bespectacled servant. "Kimimaro-kun has fallen in combat."

"I advised against sending him out, because he…" Kabuto paused for a moment and processed what his master just said. "Wait, he was slain? Even without his cursed seal, there shouldn't be too many who could defeat him. Or did he activate-"

"I do not know," Orochimaru hissed. "He activated the second level, and died shortly afterwards. Karin should have been near the area, so I want you to find her and make sure she is secure. We cannot afford to lose Karin; she is the last one who can bear the Kyuubi, and is the key to my plans. Vexing as it may be, the loss of Kimimaro is of little significance in comparison to the possibility of losing Karin. Though I do admit that it hinders our plans to strike Takigakure, especially after the loss of the Sound Four, Karin's importance is far greater."

"Yes, Orochimaru-sama," Kabuto bowed, knowing full well that the Kyuubi was a more valuable 'prey' than the Nanabi.

"Then go; the last message I got said that she and her guards are on their way back from the western wastelands."

Kabuto nodded and left. '_How could there be someone capable of forcing Kimimaro to release the second level of his seal? Someone like that shouldn't have been there. Unless there was some wandering high-level jonin in that hasn't been accounted for. And Akatsuki should still be quiet… It makes no sense.'_

Sighing, Kabuto wondered when Orochimaru would ever be satisfied. After all, his scheme to distract the ever-vigilant annoyance that was called Jiraiya was successful, and his master's 'new body' had arrived to the hideout without any obstructions.

'_Then again… Danzo might have warned us how weak the vessel was. It will be easy for Orochimaru-sama to control someone with a broken will, if only he has the right coin to motivate someone… But if the body is too weak from years of neglect, it will not sustain him for too long,'_ Kabuto knew that this was a point of annoyance for his master. His current body was already approaching the end of its usability, and with all the experimentation to prolong the next, the additional time it would take to boost her strength was a hindrance.

Then again, getting a hand on an infamous bloodline such as hers was a rare occasion, and made all the trouble well worth it…

'_Danzo threw her away, but I doubt he really know what a fine specimen he wasted,' _Kabuto smirked, correcting the position of his glasses while he walked through the shadowy corridors. '_But after the modifications Orochimaru-sama made for him, I doubt he cares for something he perceives to be weaker than his current ability. But just because someone isn__'__t at their prime, doesn__'__t mean they are useless. Not that those short-sighted fools would ever learn that lesson…__'_

* * *

"That was close," Genkuro mumbled as he looked at the wasteland surrounding him. Absentmindedly, he plucked away a few shards of bone which were sticking in his skin, while he walked towards what little remained of his fallen adversary. Kimimaro was nothing if not thorough. Despite that, he could never have expected Genkuro's unusual skill.

"Too close. If I had chosen to consume you with my flames, my new body would have been destroyed," Genkuro sighed. Genkuro knew full well that if he had attacked Kimimaro with his flames, the damage to his own body would have been far greater. And he was not sure what would happen if his body ended up being destroyed. After all, this body was completely different from those from before.

At the same time, Genkuro knew that his control over the flames that now surrounded him was still flimsy. Defense and offense at the same time was simply impossible against an opponent as strong as Kimimaro. So, when he realized what his opponent was going to do, Genkuro had instinctively chosen defense. After all, the reckless amassing of chakra in the bones that had covered the area meant that Kimimaro was going to use some kind of sacrificial attack. Genkuro knew full well that there was no way the Kaguya's crippled body would have been able to survive the strain of such an attack. The hits Genkuro had landed on the last Kaguya had given him enough information to know that.

And when he looked to the destruction surrounding him, Genkuro had been right when he took that split-second decision.

The flowing flames had woven into a tight barrier, burning most of the bone shards to ashes that emanated from Kimimaro's final attack, before they could even reach Genkuro. Even still, Genkuro knew that his fiery barrier was not exactly a good defense. "Had I not used so much warmth to solidify myself beforehand, those shards would have done a lot more damage…"

It had certainly not been the easy 'test run' for his newly-created body that he had imagined it would be. The effects of the vile chakra of the cursed seal had exceeded his expectations. Impaled, cut open, needled with bone shards, Genkuro at least had gained a lot of knowledge on how to repair himself. The aftermath of it all, however, was still weird.

At least, the gnawing feeling in his stomach, followed by the spreading weakness and general lack of energy, was foreign to Genkuro. He had never felt real hunger. In fact, his previous forms didn't even have a digestive system. And though he copied it, Genkuro was still ignorant of the functions his organs had.

Eating, something which was a perfectly normal action for any other living being, was a novelty to Genkuro.

So he went down the route that was familiar to him: a raging inferno. The flowing stream of fire that had orbited around Genkuro spread out, consuming all the fragments of bone that Kimimaro had left behind. Fragments of which all contained some chakra, the energy Genkuro could extract and redirect to his own body instead.

"Gathering warmth in this body is equally difficult. I would almost regret making it… But with the way I'm bound to it right now, it is too late to reconsider," he realized with a sigh.

The fires which engulfed the area returned to him. While the hunger didn't disappear, energy filled his body. In order to conserve his warmth better, he let less warmth flow through his muscles. Shrinking down his muscles gave him a leaner, and thereby younger, appearance, but Genkuro judged that if gathering warmth was this troublesome, this minor loss of physical strength was well worth it. Besides, he could easily reverse the process when he needed the strength again.

'_I should seek out Mari and Tayuya,'_ he stood up while consuming the last bits of fire that flowed towards him. '_I wonder why they haven't gotten any further away from here yet… Is Mari's leg still hurt that much?'_

* * *

"_Don't struggle so much you dumb bitch," the man growled. "We're engaged, so stop resisting me if I want to have some of the fun I'm entitled to have," he smirked lecherously. His strong hand restrained her, and though she tried, he was just too strong._

"_Get your hands off me!"_

"_Suit it yourself," the man chuckled, planting a fist in her stomach. With the breath knocked out of her, the man grabbed her shirt and tore it open. "Well now, it seems I will have even more fun with you than I had expected," he smirked lecherously as he looked at her exposed breasts. _

"_You disgusting piece of filth…"_

_The man laughed at the blonde's expression. _

"_Temari-san?" the door opened. "What is going on in here?" the old woman demanded._

"_Chiyo-sama!" Temari gasped._

"_Damn, talk about a horribly bad timing," the man muttered. "Get lost, hag."_

"_Get out of her room," Chiyo narrowed her eyes. "Right now, unless you want to face me, Ishikawa-san…"_

_He scoffed at the threat. "Who cares. It's not like you can prevent me from having my fun. Your village already sold her to me."_

"_That may be, but still I will not tolerate anything like this happening right here," Chiyo's scowl deepened. He only smirked at her and left. Chiyo turned to Temari, who started to cry after the man left her room. "I'm so sorry Temari… I am sorry that I cannot protect you any better. That I couldn't stop this madness.."_

"Temari."

"_I know Chiyo-obaasama," Temari sniffed. "But the thought of leaving Suna… The thought of having to live with that pig… To have him… To be forced to bear his… I would rather die than suffer his-"_

"Oi, Temari!"

"_-understand, but our village cannot refuse Iwa's demands. Not with Danzo at our throats. And you know that Iwa reasons that kunoichi are easier to control, due to the belief that a mother's love for her child would bind her to the village, whether the child was conceived voluntarily or not."_

"_I hate our world, why-"_

"Dammit, wake up you freaking dumbass!"

"_-loyalty is not something they desire. They can indoctrinate your offspring, but they will never fully trust you.. It is a disgusting long term plan, but in our-"_

Smack.

Temari blinked, struggling to open her eyes. "What.."

"Finally! You moron, you got your ass knocked unconscious and then you started thrashing around like you have some kind of freaking nightmare," Tayuya grimaced.

"It was a bad memory," Temari whispered, shivering as if she felt the man's hands on her breasts again. She vowed never to let herself be touched like that again. She would never again be treated as a pile of flesh on which a man, against her wishes, could indulge his filthy fantasies. "What happened?"

Frowning a little at the odd behavior of her blonde companion, Tayuya pointed at the area behind them. "Kimimaro went batshit insane," she snorted. "We narrowly evaded the onslaught by jumping down the dried-out riverbed. You hit your head when you fell to the ground though, moron."

"Ah, so that is why my head feels like it is bursting. I thought it was your fault," Temari reposted.

"If that little smack of mine was enough to hurt that empty head of yours, I'd be severely disappointed," the redhead snickered. However, her fun was immediately ruined by the pain the laughter caused her.

"You're hurt!" Temari realized. "Let me-"

"It's nothing, just some shards of bone that hit my back," Tayuya tried to act tough. Though Temari could see she was in pain.

"Where's Genkuro?"

"He feels fine, so I guess he will be here shortly," Tayuya shrugged. The simple gesture made her cringe though. "Stop looking at me like that. Seriously, you're the one who looks like crap, not me. Hell, what kind of fucked-up memory was it?"

"The one who taught you how to be subtle must have been a mute," Temari sighed. "It was a bad memory, okay? I don't like talking about it." Still, subconsciously she crossed her arms in a defensive posture. A gesture which didn't escape the observant redhead. "Now, stop struggling and show me your back. I'll get it cleaned, so that Genkuro can heal it."

"Y-you want me to undress in front of him?"

"Well, it's not like he would understand," Temari frowned. "I still have to beat subjects like shame and modesty into his thick skull…"

"You don't say?" Tayuya said dryly. "Though your nosebleed suggested that you didn't-"

"Did you say something? Your persistent blushing distracted me."

"Cheeky little wench," Tayuya grumbled.

"Let me see your back, and no arguments this time. Genkuro isn't here yet, so if you hurry…"

"Yeah yeah," Tayuya sighed. "Geez, don't be so uptight."

Taking off her tan tunic, and the black shirt underneath it, Temari was inclined to riposte, but she knew Tayuya would only call her a nitpicker again. '_How troublesome…__'_ she sighed to herself. Though, when Tayuya unwound the bandages that she had around her chest, acting as a bra, Temari felt a little jealous at the sixteen year old redhead. '_I really should change my diet, shouldn__'__t I?__'_ a small sweat drop started to run down the back of her head. '_Starving myself didn__'__t really help me up here.__'_

Instead of talking about breasts and make this even more awkward, Temari gasped when she saw the shards that had shredded Tayuya's back. "Darn… that must hurt."

"It hurts like fucking hell," Tayuya growled when Temari pulled another shard of bone from her back.

"Thanks," Temari spoke softly after a few moments of silence.

"What for?"

"My leg.. I wasn't quick enough. If you hadn't pushed me, I would have been dead…"

"Well, you saved my ass, I saved yours," Tayuya grunted. "So don't thank me. I only returned the favor."

"Still… thanks, for saving my life. And I'm sorry that you got yourself injured because of me," Temari smiled gently, seeing the redhead's discomfort at her gratitude. "I guess it must be odd for you, a situation like this?"

"You've got no fucking idea," was the grumbled response, although the girl was glad her red hair fell in front of her face now. '_Stupid-ass emotions running out of control all of the time… Damn, ever since that flaming shithead removed my seal, I__'__ve been getting weirder and weirder. What__'__s so fucking special about a simple thank you to make me all giddy like this? I__'__m losing my fucking mind here…__'_

"How's your leg?" she decided to change the subject.

"Genkuro closed the wound, but it's not healed," Temari admitted. "Underneath the skin, the muscles are still torn."

"So that's why you limped like that."

"He promised he would heal it when he dealt with Kimimaro. There wasn't exactly much time before we left again."

"You just want him to touch your legs again, don't you?" Tayuya chuckled.

"D-don't be absurd! How about you, already pulling out your clothes while you wait for him to return?"

"What!? You don't have any-" Tayuya started to protest. Jumping up in spite of her injured back, to face the blonde who made the remark that irked her. But, in her impatience, she forgot about her lack of clothing. Not that she cared that much about showing off her breasts in front of another girl. Then again… there were more people around..

"Hi Tayuya!" Genkuro smiled.

"…"

"Tayuya?" he wondered why the redhead had such a distraught expression on her face.

"You may want to cover yourself," Temari coughed, in a weak attempt to cover her laughter.

"Shit!" Tayuya twisted around, hands now covering most of her ample breasts which she had been flashing in front of Genkuro, while her face was redder then her hair.

Frowning, Genkuro looked from the girl, whose outrage he felt through their link, to the blonde who now stood bent over from laughter. "Mari?"

"T… Temari," she gasped, out of breath due to her laughter. "Learn to say it right this time, okay?"

"Okay!" Genkuro shrugged. Still occupied with the redhead's embarrassment, Temari made the crucial mistake of not paying attention to what he was going to do. Next thing she knew, Tayuya was the one roaring with laughter, as Temari shrieked in outrage and embarrassment.

Blinking, Genkuro massaged his head, rubbing over the red imprint Temari's hand had left on his cheek. "Mari?" he didn't understand her for even one bit.

"Why are you just groping my leg like that?" the crimson-skinned blonde said, just a few tones too high.

"You wanted him to heal your leg, didn't you?" Tayuya smirked.

"Genkuro, heal Tayuya's back first. But I swear to you that the next time you put your hand under my kimono like that, I _will_ kill you, you hear me?" she added with the most threatening voice she could muster in her flustered state.

"Ehh, okay?" he questioned. "But your leg…"

"My leg can wait!" Temari snapped. "Tayuya first! Now!"

Genkuro shrugged, really not understanding the point of Temari's embarrassed rage. In his eyes, all he did was to try and heal her injured leg. Instead, she snapped at him for no apparent reason. '_She was never bothered by it before.. And Tayuya is acting weird as well. Is it me? Is my new body in some way defective?'_

With every step he set in her direction, the mirth about Temari's little freak-out vanished, and Tayuya became more and more aware about her lack of proper clothing. '_Thank Kami it's only my back. Oh, I'm so getting back to her when he fixes her leg after I'm healed,'_ Tayuya thought, though she first had to bite on her lip in order to suppress a moan.

Her back was covered with cuts, but amidst that throbbing pain, Genkuro's hands suddenly spread pleasant warmth. His method of healing her, whatever he might name it, flooded her with his energy. Combined with the sudden relief due to the removal of her pain, Tayuya couldn't help but struggle to not show how she enjoyed this. For the first time, Tayuya realized what Temari had meant by saying that it was difficult to resist his chakra. The sensation of his chakra flowing through her was just _too_ pleasant…

And to Tayuya's dread, the blonde kunoichi noticed.

"Genkuro, I think she also had some injuries at her chest," Temari smirked devilishly. '_You laughed at my embarrassment, so now you get some payback!'_

"N-no, I'm fine," Tayuya moaned. Her arms tightly covering her chest. "D-don't you dare t-touch me there, you fuckhead."

"But-"

"No buts! If you touch me there, I'll kill you!" she muttered. She had to resist the urge to just let him touch her, an urge that she would never admit in front of Temari. However, Temari, in turn, would never admit that she was glad that Tayuya didn't allow it… Teasing was fun, but it shouldn't get too serious.

Genkuro scratched the back of his blond head, wondering what on earth was happening to these two. Both girls were acting weird, and he couldn't fathom why they were so rude to him, even if his life depended on it. He only wanted to help them. Even though he could feel Tayuya's inner conflict through their linked minds, it eluded him that his new appearance was the root cause of the problems. "Okay, I think?" he mumbled, turning around to heal her back, which was mostly healed now, apart from a scratch down at her...

"Not that low, you dimwit, you don't need to heal my damn ass," Tayuya shrieked. "Go heal the bimbo, I'm fine now!"

* * *

Devastation. The entire area was ruined, as if a raging inferno had burnt everything to the ground. Sands had turned to glass. Rocks were partially molten. Something had been intent on destroying this area.

Sure, he had seen the smoke from a distance, shortly after the disturbingly strong chakras had flared up in this area. But to witness a sight like this... "Arata-sensei said that this was unnatural," Honen whispered. "But to see something like this, it is far beyond my expectations."

The young monk Honen had been sent out to find out the truth about the strange infernos that appeared across the continent. With most of the higher-ranked monks already dispatched to the more-populated regions, Honen had been sent to this region. After all, he was by a fair margin the strongest amongst the monks of the second rank, even though most of his generation were still novices, or monks of the first rank. But Honen had shown the promise of talent, and his control was mostly on par with the senior monks, those who held the third rank. Spiritually and mentally he still needed to grow, however, before he would be deemed worthy of attaining that higher position.

And that was to be decided by those of the fifth and highest tier within the shinobi temple: the elder monks of the council. Though, it was mostly incorrect to say that the elders were the highest tier in terms of skill. The elders were chosen from each of the three ranks, and could actually even be chosen from the novices, although that had never happened in the history of the temple before. The elders were not chosen for their martial skill, but rather for their wisdom. Unlike the kage-system from the hidden villages, the temples believed that the wisdom to lead the temple did not always come with the strength to defend the temple.

Although Honen's great example Chiriku was a large exception. Unlike the other elders, Chiriku had been given the rank of elder after he returned from his duties with the twelve guardian ninja, as his skill and experience had grown so much that the inhabitants of the temple looked at him for leadership anyway, in spite of being younger than most of the monks of the third rank.

"Calm down, Honen," he mumbled to himself. "Don't allow yourself to be impressed by your surroundings, focus on your center, be calm and flexible like the wind," he repeated Arata's lessons on maintaining a calm and analytical mindset.

Focusing his senses, the young man noticed three sources of chakra nearby. Though… one felt so alien, he almost wondered whether it was truly of human origin or not.

"Is this the one who caused the fires?"

* * *

Temari had laughed at Tayuya's expense, but now the tables were definitely turned around. With his hand on her thigh, Genkuro spread his chakra through her system in order to undo the damage Kimimaro's attack had done to her muscles. But inevitably, the warmth spread out, which led to a rather embarrassing sensation. Because it radiated up her leg towards…

Well, let's just say that Temari was thankful that he was utterly clueless on how he made her feel. '_He hasn't changed one bit. His body might have changed, but his mind… Oh Kami, with that body of his, this situation is going to get a lot worse, isn't it?'_ she bit her lip in order to suppress making any improper sounds.

As if he read her mind, Genkuro started to smile at her.

"What," she asked suspiciously.

"Done."

"Aww, is she 'done' already?" Tayuya teased. Though she hadn't taken the time to wrap up, she quickly put on her shirt and her tunic to at least cover herself. Though, the usually brazen girl felt confused at the stupid things that ran through her mind. Then again, she suspected that the 'imbalance' was caused by the removal of the seal.

Bending over, Genkuro touched Temari's leg one more time, sending a pulse of chakra through her body, something she hadn't been prepared for. Ignoring Temari's blush, Genkuro looked at Tayuya. "Yes, she's completely recovered and-"

"Don't put your hand on a lady like that, you felon!" a man's voice sounded up.

"What the fuck?" Tayuya blinked.

A young man, with either a bald or shaved head, wearing the standard attire of a ninja monk, stepped forward. "Hand? Lady? Felon?" Genkuro wondered. "What's a felon?"

"Who are you?" Temari demanded. "And what do you want?"

"Did you think this blond shithead was molesting her? Hah- moron," Tayuya chuckled. "It's more the other way around," she added, eliciting a furious glare from Temari. "Seems you have as much brains as you have hair."

Seeing Tayuya's typical choice of clothing, the young monk's eyes narrowed. "Otogakure…"

"What's it to you?"

"And Sunagakure," he looked at Temari. "It makes no sense. Oto and Suna became sworn enemies after the attack on Konoha. So what are you three doing here?"

"Listen up you shining bald piece of thrash, you're the one disturbing us, so you do the explaining here," Tayuya started to get some of her old agitation back. "Talk or leave, your choice, shithead. But don't you fucking insult me by saying I still belong to that accursed Snake!"

But the monk ignored her. "Feeling your chakra signature from up close, I can tell that you are the one I'm here for," he looked at Genkuro.

"Well, he's ours, so you can't have him, tough luck," the redhead huffed.

"Why are you after Genkuro?" Temari demanded.

Rising up, Genkuro looked a bit down at the monk. In his turn, Honen wondered how this, by the looks of it, younger man was even taller than Chiriku himself. Not that he was as tall as the infamous pervert Jiraiya of the Sannin, but still. What disturbed Honen more was the indomitable aura which surrounded the man. '_He is strong. He feels strong. But how? He shouldn't be aware of the senzoku no sai, he should not be able to radiate such a presence.'_

"I am tired. I don't want to fight. But I have no interest in avoiding it either," Genkuro said, perfectly calm. His innocent and childish demeanor vanished as snow underneath the summer sun, as he assessed the threat in front of him.

Honen swallowed, disturbed by Genkuro's gaze, but could not back down. "I was sent out by the Fire Temple. Our order has sought for you, my lord. It was told that you were the incarnation of the god of flames that now wandered the earth," Honen's light grey eyes looked into the churning orbs of flames which acted as Genkuro's eyes. "But I cannot blindly take you with me, either. Unlikely as it may be, you might be an imposter. One can't be careful enough when some straggler from Sunagakure and one of Otogakure's treacherous ranks are involved," he added with more than a little disdain.

"I told you, I'm no longer part of that-" Tayuya swallowed her protests when Genkuro raised his hand.

Genkuro sent some of his warmth to his muscles. He knew only two people, and Honen just insulted them both. "Go ahead, make my day," he said, deceptively calm.

'_He's still perfectly calm… no hesitation whatsoever. But his eyes… I never expected it to be so annoying, to not be able to read the look in someone's eyes,'_ Honen sighed. "Seiken is the name of our fighting style. It means 'true fist', but don't mistake it for common taijutsu. Seiken is a style that is powered by our mastery of the senzoku no sai, the 'gift of the hermit group'," Honen explained. "This is a special kind of chakra which only the ninja monks can master."

"What kind of moron would start explaining his skills to his opponent?" Tayuya huffed, after Genkuro simply ignored the monk's attempt to defuse the situation a little.

"My intention is not to hurt, but to test," Honen said, unmoved by Tayuya's condescending tone. "I therefore would request a one-on-one duel, without the intention to kill or permanently maim the opponent."

"Genkuro, you do understand what he is saying, right?" Temari sighed, seeing his questioning face. "He wants to fight you, but not to hurt you, and asks you to do the same."

"Why?" the honestly baffled blond wondered. "Fighting is not fun."

"It is but a test, not a fight," the monk interjected.

"Just do as he asked, okay?" Temari sighed.

"If you say so, Mari," Genkuro didn't know why he should spare someone whose warmth he didn't care about.

"Te-ma-ri. Temari. Learn to say it properly already!"

"Okay Te Ma Ri," he smirked.

"Is he… hit on the head?" Honen wondered, not really understanding whether he was made fun of or not.

"Nehh, he was just a kid a little while ago. Somehow, he created a new body, but his mind is still as empty as that of a child," Tayuya explained. "I'm not shitting you. I mean, it's not like I could fabricate such an unbelievable story myself," she shrugged, seeing his look of disbelief. "I'm crazy, but not that insane… Hell, if I had said this shit a month ago, I would've gone to a nut house voluntarily."

"You understand what is going on?" Temari sighed.

"I hold back," Genkuro nodded.

"Well… Let's just see about that, okay?" Honen frowned. "Seiken: Tamen."

Standing perfectly still, to the point where he was completely defenseless, Honen created several fists out of chakra. These fists surrounded Genkuro the moment they were created, and immediately charged at him. Being at the center of the several-sided attack, Genkuro had nowhere to dodge.

So he just took the attack, reinforcing his body to strengthen his defenses.

Now, Honen had been holding back, but seeing his attack being completely neutralized was a bit unnerving too.

"My turn," Genkuro announced grimly. Planting one foot in front of the other, he forced a fair share of his energy to his legs. In the blink of an eye, Honen felt himself flying backwards, having the air knocked out of him.

"Genkuro…"

"Eh? But I wasn't even serious! I just play-fighted!" Genkuro whined, when he saw Temari's disapproving look. "The other one would have dodged… And I only used part of my warmth for that hit!"

"Control yourself next time, okay?"

"Fine…" he sighed.

"I… underestimated your speed. Your lack of style made me underestimate you." Coughing, and catching his breath again, Honen picked himself up from the ground. "Jinsoku," he announced his next move.

Abandoning the notion of strength, Honen switched instead to the quicker variant of the seiken style, focusing every movement on speed rather than impact. Bursting forward, he aimed for Genkuro's shoulder. But the churning orbs of fire never lost track of him.

Only due to the jinsoku stance, Honen was able to evade the counterattack. '_He knew where I was going to strike. And I was not holding back either. His perception is faster than my movements. So continuing in this stance would be a waste of energy… but if I dropped it, he would immediately catch me off guard with his speed.__'_

Honen hopped back, creating some distance between them.

'_He is far stronger than his movements suggest. By the looks of it, he is completely untrained, but his reflexes… Even Chiriku-sama would have difficulties with this level of raw strength,__'_ Honen considered. '_I suppose I don__'__t have to hold back anymore of my skill…__'_

Honen pressed his hands together, almost as if praying, and started to amass chakra. "Shichu!" Honen barked. A pillar made out of his chakra appeared above Genkuro. The solid construct was about as thick as a tree and high as a grown man, and when Honen moved his hands to the ground, the pillar crashed down towards Genkuro.

Genkuro, who barely seemed to show any interest at all in the weird jutsu.

Temari and Tayuya coughed when a cloud of dust erupted due to the impact. '_Were we stupid to allow this? This monk seemed honest in his intentions, but this was no regular move at all,__'_ Temari wondered. '_No, it should not make that much of a difference. This guy is hardly comparable to Kimimaro, so Genkuro should not have any difficulties with him.__'_

But despite her faith in him, Temari did start to worry if Genkuro was hurt by the impact. Tayuya, on the other hand, remained calm.

* * *

"Raikage-sama, you called for me?" the dark-skinned kunoichi asked.

"Mabui, you were back already?" the large and muscular man known under the name of A looked up from the piles of paper on his desk.

The young woman wore formal attire, a long-sleeved, high-collared green dress shirt and skirt, which matched her green eyes. Although she had attained her jonin rank a while ago, she did not go out of the village often these days. So, the fact that the Raikage had called her here under the pretense of a mission confused her a little.

"I have a very important mission, Mabui," A sighed. "You are aware that Danzo closed the borders of the Land of Fire, don't you?"

"Yes."

"Hmm, we need to know what that warmonger is planning to do. The war between Suna and Konoha seems to have died down a little now that Iwa started to meddle, so I am afraid Danzo is starting to create new schemes."

"You want me to sneak into Konoha?" Mabui wondered.

"No. No, since Root took control, infiltrating Konoha has been a fruitless undertaking. No, I would rather have you gather information from the nation itself. Troop movements, supply lines, fortifications. Anything that could give us an advantage in case he decides a war with Kumo is necessary. Your tenso no jutsu enables you to transport objects anywhere at the speed of light, so while I would have preferred to keep you here, you are the best option Kumo has when it comes to gathering and sending the information we need."

"Yes, Raikage-sama. Is this a solo or team mission?"

"Solo," he grunted. "I don't like it either," he admitted. "But you would have the biggest chance of slipping past the border on your own, not in a four man cell…"

"Understood," Mabui nodded.

"Go to the border tonight. C reported that there would be a shift change in the patrols tomorrow. They are likely already preparing to leave, and are tired from their mission. Tonight would be the best time to get past the borders. C and his team will act as a diversion."

* * *

'_Play-fighting is a bit boring,__'_ Genkuro concluded. His hand held high, he had simply caught the pillar. Still, Genkuro felt the exhaustion increase further and further, to the point where he decided to end this situation quickly.

With the dust settling down, the sweating and panting Honen saw that his opponent was practically unscathed. The pillar shattered, and with the weight gone, Genkuro charged forward.

"Jinsoku!" Honen switched to his faster stance, forcing himself out of the way. '_Pure brute speed and strength. And he hasn__'__t even used a single jutsu…__'_

Skipping left and right, Honen tried to stay out of Genkuro's reach. But the latter had, due to his length, greater reach. So a counterattack was difficult for Honen. '_He has all the advantages. He__'__s both superior in speed and strength, to such a degree that my advantage in skill is negated. And worse, he seems to learn quickly. He__'__s already adapting to my style. Continuing this would not serve any point.__'_

"Enough!" Honen panted. "You are strong, that I admit defeat."

"Good," Genkuro huffed. He suddenly staggered and slumped down against the nearest tree.

"You okay?" Temari asked him. She had never seen him actually being tired. Tayuya, on the other hand, had a much better insight through her link with Genkuro.

"He's hungry," she chuckled. "The damn idiot doesn't even know what it is to be hungry yet."

"He doesn't know hunger?" Honen frowned. "What do you mean?"

"Don't ask us," Temari shrugged. "He's just completely weird. I think he used his fire to gather the chakra to sustain himself, but apparently his current body is different?" she asked, looking at Tayuya.

"I dunno," Tayuya replied. "Hey, you know him longer than I do. I just recognized what he feels. And that's hunger. It's not like I can read his retarded mind!"

"Let's put up camp then," Temari sighed. "I think those stupid lizards won't come out to attack us anymore."

"And in that case Genkuro would have a good meal," Tayuya grinned. "But, baldy, what is your big idea of coming here?"

"As I said," Honen scraped his throat, not willing to get into it with her over the undignified nickname 'baldy'. "I am a monk of the Fire Temple, which is the largest shinobi monastery in the Land of Fire. I was sent out to this region with a mission to find the one who caused those mysterious fires all over the continent. And I think this man is the one I was supposed to seek out. Genkuro was his name if I heard it right?"

"What do you know about him?" Temari wondered.

"Me? Nothing," Honen admitted. "But I think the elders know more. Though, I do know that Jiraiya of the Sannin asked for our help in this matter."

"Jiraiya?" Tayuya's eyes narrowed. "Well, at least he opposes Orochimaru."

"He does, but still… Last I heard, he was still loyal to Konoha. I take it you want to take Genkuro to the temple?" Temari asked. Honen nodded. "Fine, but on two conditions: first, the two of us go with him. Second, no other shinobi are to know of this. Tayuya recently defected from Otogakure, and I left my village too. We have no interest in getting mixed up with our pasts again. We want to remain anonymous."

"The temple has no interest in politics. Your names and pasts are your own- as long as you do not commit crimes on the temple's grounds or while you are affiliated with the temple, no one will bother you."

Genkuro looked at the girls, and then at Honen. "You can promise that?"

Honen grimaced. "I cannot give guarantees, as I am not one of the elders, but I can say that handing over shinobi who try to remain hidden but are not evil is not a custom of our temple. Besides, Chiriku-sama more or less predicted that Kagutsuchi-sama would seek refuge, as we fear what the current Hokage might do to you."

"Good," Genkuro mumbled, closing his eyes and quickly drifting asleep.

"Kagutsuchi-sama?" Temari frowned.

"I was told to seek for the kami of fire," Honen shrugged. "Kagutsuchi-sama is his name. And considering we did not know the name 'Genkuro' at the time, we used Kagutsuchi-sama's name whenever we spoke of the person behind the mysterious fires."

"A God," Tayuya mused, unconsciously starting to rub over the place where once the cursed seal rested. "It's more fitting then Genkuro…"

"Well, he accepted that name, and I'll keep calling him like that," Temari huffed.

"Still, I would have liked to see Kagutsuchi-sama's flames. But it seems I am not capable of pushing him that much."

"You don't want to see his flames. Really," Temari grimaced.

"He wouldn't have used it anyway," Tayuya promised. "He was already exhausted from his battle with Kimimaro, so I don't think he was even capable of burning this area to the ground."

"Let's get something to eat.."

"Aye."

* * *

"Mabui-san, there are two teams patrolling to our west, and one to the east. We will form a distraction, so that you can slip by," C whispered. The young man with his short, blond hair and dark eyes was as serious as usual. Then again, this mission was important enough as it was, any possible failures would cause even more trouble.

"Thanks, C," Mabui whispered back. She now wore a long, short-sleeved dress, with the regular white Kumogakure flak jacket on top of it. Though, she wore a cloak on top of it, in order to remain undetected. She had deemed it pointless to dress like a Konoha shinobi, considering that her skin color would give her away anyway. No, she rather trusted in genjutsu to deceive the ones she could not evade.

"Go," he whispered. "And good luck." He signalled his men, and they would start to move.

"You too."

"We will," C promised. "Find out what those Konoha dogs are planning, okay?"

"I will," Mabui sighed, and looked back one last time. She really did not like this mission one bit. Jonin or not, going into the Land of Fire alone was not easy job. Especially not since the new Hokage was a paranoid warmonger.

'_Traitors never have faith in anyone…__'_ she mused. '_Small wonder Danzo hardly ever misses a spy.__'_

* * *

Under the same starlit night, another kunoichi was contemplating her position as well. The former shinobi of the hidden sand was restless, turning and twisting underneath her blanket, unable to catch her sleep. '_Things seemed to have become so much easier when I got free. When Genkuro freed me, it was just me and him, wandering in the shadows, seeking a place where we could hide. And now__…'_ she sighed, and turned around, hoping that the ground would feel a little more comfortable if she would lie on it in this position. '_Now he changed. No, he didn__'__t really change. Only his body is different now. But why does it make me so damn uncomfortable?__'_

Hearing her grumble something in her sleep, Temari noticed that Tayuya wasn't exactly stress-free either. '_She__'__s almost as awkward as I am,__'_ Temari smiled. '_Then again, she__'__s probably sleeping badly because of the gambit we__'__re going to take. At least Suna believes that I__'__m dead… But if Orochimaru is as smart as she says he is, he will be looking for her. If that Fire Temple can__'__t be trusted, we would be royally screwed. Danzo would kill me before I could blink my eyes, and if Tayuya is right about their alliance Danzo would send her back to that snake, and who knows what kind of horrific fate would await her there? And I don__'__t even want to think what he__'__d do to Genkuro. If Danzo succeeded with that indoctrination thing, Genkuro might become the key to conquering the entire world. At least, the small part of it which his fires wouldn__'__t have consumed in the process…__'_

Turning around once more, Temari considered that death wouldn't even be that bad. It would certainly be better than the fate that awaited her in Suna or Iwagakure. '_But Genkuro and Tayuya… She__'__s so fragile now that she__'__s broken free from Orochimaru, she needs a chance to rekindle her faith in the world again. To grow some trust in those around her. And Genkuro… he__'__s like the little brother I always wanted Gaara to be. Cute and clueless, yet smart and inquisitive at the same time. I don__'__t want him to lose that innocence. I don__'__t want him to face this world__'__s darkness. Even though he isn__'__t exactly a child anymore, it__'__s my duty to protect him...__'_

Temari sighed, and rubbed away a deviant strand of her blonde hair. With Tayuya's help, she had untangled her four consecutive ponytails, and instead changed it to one big spiky ponytail. Still, the long strands framing her face were a little irritating. Though, her hair wasn't really the source of her irritation right now. The threats surrounding Genkuro, with him being an unknown quality in the balance of powers in this world, worried her more than she had ever expected. Underneath her tough façade, Temari had grown far too attached to him: her savior, her liberator, and the first friend she made in years…

Someone who didn't judge her for what her father was, or what her brother had done. Someone who didn't see her as 'the Kazekage's daughter', or 'the monster's sibling'. Genkuro expected nothing from her, protecting her without ever asking something in return. Unconditionally, like a child.

'_But he isn__'__t a child anymore,__'_ she repeated to herself, over and over again. His physical change confused her. Yes, he was far too intimate with her, but when he looked like a kid she didn't really feel bothered by it. Well, the sensation his chakra gave her was bothersome, simply because it was too pleasant, but back then it did not matter to her. Not this much, at least. But with his new body… '_I need to make sure he keeps some distance. He__'__s too hot to get all cuddly with now. It__'__s too embarrassing. Not to mention that after Iwa, I have no intentions of__…'_ Temari suddenly started to blush. _'What am I thinking? No matter his looks, he still has the mind of a kid. Get your mind out of the gutter, Temari!__'_

Needless to say, it took a while before Temari finally fell asleep.

The moon was long past its highest point in the night skies, several hours later, when Genkuro woke up. His body felt oddly sore, and the influx of sensations confused him for a while. Living as a mass of flames was definitely easier than having a real flesh-and-blood body. The pain was irritating, and the fatigue and hunger even worse.

Still exhausted from the battle of the day before, Genkuro tried to sink back into that state of obliviousness that the others called 'sleep'. For the first time, he understood why Temari did this odd ritual every night.

But no matter how close it seemed to be, falling asleep was impossible. Yawning, the thought of Temari made him stand up. '_Warmmm…__'_ his lazy mind mused. '_Maybe sleep then…__'_

A few seconds after, Tayuya woke up roughly. Very roughly. "Shut the fuck up," she roared. "What kind of degenerated fucktard is screaming her lungs inside out during the middle of the fucking…" she looked and saw Temari's position, "…night."

"…" Temari stared blankly at the redhead.

The former kunoichi of Otogakure stared back at her, equally dazed and confused.

And that was the moment the young monk entered the scene. "What is going on? Is there…" Honen stood still, frozen, with eyes bulging out. "How dare you!"

Genkuro looked at the bald man, to drowsy to comprehend what all the fuss was about. "Sweepy," he mumbled. "Shut it." He slumped down, ignoring the outraged man, and hugging Temari again. As Genkuro had expected, this entire sleeping thing was far more comfortable when she was near him. '_Warmmm,__'_ he smiled contently, eyes shut as he sought for that quiet state of mind called sleep once more.

The fuming monk, still sputtering about the absurd intimacy, and the flabbergasted (and somewhat jealous) Tayuya looked at Temari. A very much blushing and awkward Temari. "D-don't look at me! I-it's not like I asked for this… J-just… I mean, t-this isn't… Help me get him off me.."

"Sweeep," Genkuro grumbled absently, dragging her even closer to him.

Pleading, Temari looked at Tayuya, her last hope. And her 'last hope' suddenly got a brilliant idea… "I suppose that sharing body warmth in this cold night is a valid survival tactic, isn't it?" the red-haired girl smiled deviously. "I'll join ya," she chuckled, lying down on Genkuro's other side.

Palm connecting to forehead, Honen turned on his heels and gave up. "How could Kagutsuchi-sama be so immoral?" he voiced his exasperation. "How could these women be so shameless?"

"H-hey, I'm not shameless," Temari protested weakly. "Tayuya, at least help me out in here. This isn't a joke. It's not like I'm…" she heard the redhead snicker. "Ah, curse you," Temari just gave up. She knew that Genkuro's hold was hard to break by now, so she just resigned herself to her fate and tried to sleep again. '_It__'__s not like Genkuro would think anything weird about this, right?__'_ she tried to convince herself.

* * *

_Author__'__s notes:_

* * *

It seems like the trio has finally found a safe place to live. At least, for a while… The Fire Temple was one of the more interesting things left unused in the manga, at least in my view. The anime team tried to expand it, but I never was able to like that stuff with Sora and all… So, this story being in the 'alternate universe' category anyway, I simply decided to just redesign the monks and the temple in my own fashion. Part of altering the temple is a small number of OC's. Honen was, as mentioned earlier, created based on an idea from **percy zoe and artemis fan**. Obviously, I wouldn't write a data entry for this character if he wouldn't be playing some bigger role in this story. Next chapter, I'll expand more on the temple!

I wonder how many will find today's "hidden quote". After all, one of you challenged me to find a more difficult one this time. And I think this one is certainly less obvious than Yoda's, though it got famous from two different movies at least.. I bet **Illuminated** finds it first?

_Ill_: Nope, he was looking for something more subtle!

_Zil_: Then I'll give a hint, and say that it's a line from a movie from the seventies! I guess that should at least point the guns in the right direction? (I suck at subtlety, don't I?)

Don't forget the basic routine: read and review. Well, except for that one anonymous 'hero' who keeps wishing me to die in the weirdest ways. I've got no intentions of doing that, thank you very much..

* * *

-Z-

* * *

**Honen**

The unwanted child of an (presumably) important nobleman, Honen was left with the Fire Temple when he was but a baby. Though Honen is unaware of this fact, his biological parents are known to the leading council of the temple, but the subject remains strictly classified until further notice.

Gender: male  
Age: 20  
Height: 176.5 cm  
Weight: 64.6 kg  
Blood type: B

Ninjutsu: 2.5  
Taijutsu: 4  
Genjutsu: 2  
Intelligence: 2.5  
Strength: 2.5  
Speed: 3  
Stamina: 3  
Hand seals: 3

Total: 22.5

Notes: Ranks as a full-fledged monk, which is the second rank a monk can attain within the temple, and one of the youngest to reach that rank in years. Arata, who attained the third rank, was his former teacher, and still his trusted friend. Like all monks, Honen focuses on the seiken style, which combines taijutsu with a peculiar style of ninjutsu.

**Jutsu and translations**

_Seiken_ = true fist. This is the name of the fighting style of the ninja monks, which is a hybrid of taijutsu and ninjutsu, although in contrast to chakra, the monks use senzoku no sai. Instead of the physical fist, seiken is about wielding the mental fist, which is projected through the use of the senzoku no sai. The greater the mastery, the greater the projection will also be.

_Senzoku no Sai_ = Gift of the Hermit Group. This is a special kind of chakra used by the ninja monks of the Fire Temple, and is the fundament of the seiken-style.

_Tamen_ = Many-sided. A seiken stance in which the user abandons defense, and creates multiple 'fists' of chakra, which form around the target and strike simultaneously from all those directions. Has great offensive power, but it leaves the user open for any counterattack.

_Shichu_ = Pillar. A variant of Tamen, though this focuses all the chakra into a single construct which strikes the opponent from above. Mastery of the Shichu is usually a sign that monks are nearing the latter stages of mastering the Senzoku no Sai, and can begin training on the more advanced forms of the seiken style.

_Jinsoku_ = Quick, fast. This is a seiken stance which focuses purely on speed and agility, but usually lacks the power to hurt an opponent. A seiken expert is capable of effortlessly switching between jinsoku and other stances, in order to quickly outmaneuver the opponent and create the distance needed to prepare more decisive attacks like Tamen or Shichu.

_Tenso no Jutsu_ = Heavenly Transfer Technique. This technique enables Mabui to transport inanimate objects anywhere at the speed of light. When being transferred, the object is engulfed in light and moves to any desired destination that is within sensory range through a bolt of lightning. As the bolt reaches up the sky, the object travels towards the destination, where it once again descends to the ground. Kumogakure uses special platforms which ease the transferring and reception of objects, but skilled sensory shinobi are able to deploy the jutsu without these platforms as well.


	8. Lost hopes, found

**Pareidolia**

* * *

**Chapter eight**

**Lost hopes, found**

* * *

"_The road that is built in hope is more pleasant to the traveller than the road built in despair, even though they both lead to the same destination."_

― Marion Zimmer Bradley, The Fall of Atlantis

* * *

"_He is dead."_

"_Sensei?" the serious voice of her sensei confused her._

"_They all died… The entire team…"_

_She felt her heart break when her sensei looked up. The sympathy, the sorrow… this wasn't a lie. This was real. But it couldn't be real. Not him. He couldn't die. Not him. Not now, not ever. He gave his word, and he never ever broke his word. He would be Hokage. He would be acknowledged. There was no way he could die._

"_Jiraiya-sama found the bodies of Sakura and Naruto, and there is so much blood from Sasuke… we suspect that Gaara completely crushed him, and that his remains are buried under tons of sand. All the earth was uprooted. Everything was…" Kurenai slumped down. "So much destruction. I'm so sorry, Hinata… I'm so sorry…"_

"_It can't be. Not Naruto-kun. He can't be dead," she refused to believe it. She couldn't. He was the one beacon of hope she had. The one person who showed her that everyone could become more than they were thought to be. Uzumaki Naruto, the boy she admired, loved with all her heart, couldn't die. _

_Kurenai took the young Hyuga heiress in a motherly embrace. "I'm sorry, Hinata, but it is true. Gaara released the Ichibi, and Naruto was too close… Jiraiya-sama said that Naruto attempted to stop the Ichibi, but it was impossible. Kakashi never should've given that order…"_

_Frozen, too shocked to even cry, Hinata tried to process what her sensei had told her. But she couldn't._

* * *

"_Pathetic. Try again," the tall man stood in front of a girl who was bowing down on the floor of the dojo. His impassive look made it all the more obvious how disapproving he actually was._

"_Father… I…"_

"_There are no excuses, Hinata, you ought to be better than this. Hanabi easily outperforms you. I always knew you were weak, but since the exams, you have become an embarrassment to our clan," Hyuga Hiashi's harsh voice crushed what little confidence Hinata had left._

_She felt her lip tremble, and tears emerged._

"_Just leave," Hiashi gestured abruptly. "When you are like this, there is no point in training you anyway. You are just wasting my time. Get out of my sight."_

"_Y-yes father," Hinata choked. _

* * *

'_Yesss, and with the Uzumaki dead, you lost all hope… And then your father lost hope in you, entirely_,' the voice whispered in her head. Hinata sat in her dark cell, all alone, trying her best to ignore the taunts. Ever since Orochimaru bit her, ever since he had left that cursed seal, that voice had tried to tempt her into hating the world.

'_And why shouldn't you hate everyone? Who was it that sent the Uzumaki to his death?'_

"N-Naruto-kun tried to do his duty."

'_Really? Why was the boy never trained properly? Why was the boy sent out to face a jinchuriki who did get such training? Everyone ignored him. No one bothered to make him strong. And still they threw him at a much stronger adversary. They wanted him to die. Just like your father wanted you to fail. Why else would he allow you to be sent to me?_'

"Father didn't know about this, he would never have-"

'_Stop dreaming, girl_,' Orochimaru's whispers turned into a loud and angry voice. '_Danzo sent you on this mission, to me, and your father allowed it. He just wanted to get rid of another unsuitable heir._'

"N-No, I may have f-failed father, but he wouldn't have done such a thing. It can't be. I-I don't want to believe it!"

'_But you do. I feel your doubts. Your darkness. You never had the courage to tell the Uzumaki boy that you loved him, and when Konoha led him to his death, you lost your chance entirely. He was always alone, craving for acceptance. You could have given him that, but you were too weak to overcome your own fears. And now it is too late. He died alone, never knowing that someone like you cared for him. That anyone cared about him. How much pain must he have had when he realized he would die without ever being loved…_'

Hinata started to cry. "I wanted to help him, I really did!"

'_But you didn't. And you know why, don't you? It was all the fault of your father. Your mother died, and you reminded him too much of her. That is why he destroyed your self-confidence… He never gave you a chance. Just like the Uzumaki boy never had a chance. Is that fairness, Hyuga Hinata? Is that justice?_'

"No. It is cruel. Evil," Hinata admitted.

'_Do you know what the Hyuga clan does to children born without your kekkei genkai?_' Orochimaru gloated. '_Do you know what they do to those deemed unworthy of their name?_'

"I-I don't want to hea-"

'_They are cast out. Sterilized and thrown away, or just removed in more radical manners, like yours… Tell me, girl, do you think you are the first heir to be discarded?_'

"…"

'_They threw you away. That seal on your back makes sure your bloodline will never be passed on. They threw you away, just like the Uzumaki boy_,' the voice continued. Cruel. Unstoppable. As much as Hinata wanted to shut it out, he kept talking. He kept haunting her dreams. Ever since she got that seal, which was now two months ago, his voice had grown stronger and stronger.

She didn't want to believe him. She didn't want to believe her father had allowed this to happen- for her to be thrown away, to be sold off by their Hokage to this monster. But he did- her father had cast her away, her clan had abandoned her. She was an outcast. '_Just like Naruto-kun…'_

'_Not just him… Did you ever stop to think about why your mother fell ill? Why that exact moment?_' the voice continued. '_I saw your memories, girl. Don't you think it is odd that she suddenly fell ill, shortly after you failed the first tests which determined your aptitude for the juken style? The elders had no need for a woman who only produced weak offspring!_'

"No!" Hinata gasped.

'_Yes. No illness could have been that efficient, girl. The way your mother died, only poison would claim a life that fast…_'

"No.. No, no, no," Hinata felt tear running down her cheeks.

'_And your father quickly found another woman, who gave birth to your sister, at the cost of her own life. But that father of yours didn't care about that woman either. He only cared about the heir he desired._'

"Father didn't do that. He loved mother. He loved her. He loved…"

'_Perhaps he did, but the elders… Did he stop it from happening? Did he avenge your mother?'_

Hinata felt lost. Confused. _Angry_.

'_Don't you wish you could avenge your mother? Avenge the Uzumaki boy? Make them pay what they did to you?_'

"…yes."

'_Good girl,_' Orochimaru chuckled. '_As a reward, I will give you the power you need. Will you accept it?_'

Hinata could only see the image in her head of her mothers body. It was the last time Hinata had seen her, shortly before her burial. Then she saw Naruto, in the covered, blood-soaked, bag in which Jiraiya had carried him back to the village. They were memories which were etched into her soul, a pain that would never leave her. But could she remain idle?

"I accept your power," Hinata whispered.

* * *

As he felt a surge of chakra coming from the prisons below, Kabuto looked up at his master. "It took her long enough."

"She was rather persistent in her weakness," Orochimaru smirked. "But I had to take the slower method, so that her body will last longer. Forcing her would only have weakened her nervous system. And now she has accepted my power willingly, there is no turning back. Even I must admit that I am curious to see how much the byakugan will improve me.."

"She will require a lot of work first," Kabuto sighed. "I shall prepare the required medications. We need to accelerate her growth. Especially her chakra reserves need to expand more if she is supposed to support you, Orochimaru-sama. I do hope you are right about her actual potential."

"She will be unstoppable now that she has the determination to grow," Orochimaru chuckled darkly. "Her foolish love gave her all the anger she required. All that anger, it will be all the motivation she will ever need."

* * *

"That's it, I have no motivation left whatsoever," the girl exclaimed. "I'm done. It's over. I'm finished. Fuck it. Screw those guys."

"Tayu-"

"No more, you hear me!" Tayuya snapped. "I don't know what kind of fucked up weeds there idiots are smoking, but the shit is clearly affecting their brains. Small wonder they all lost their fucking hair and got bald. Drugs are bad. As if that retarded crap helps your chakra control in any fucking way!" she ranted.

"Why do you think I told you that their method was pointless for you? It may calm them down and help them with meditating, but that isn't something you need," Temari sighed, attempting to calm the redhead down. "But you didn't listen. You never listen…"

"Well, you're not my older sister, are you? Besides, Shithead himself mastered all that stuff in less than two freaking months!"

"Genkuro is special," Temari corrected the foul-mouthed redhead. "You know his taijutsu was already monstrous before he even got trained in it. You saw him against the Kimisomething guy, you know, the scrawny guy with the bones."

"Kimimaro. Yes, I saw that, but that doesn't matter for one shit. I need to get stronger, dammit!"

"You're safe here, Orochimaru doesn't know you are here," Temari gestured vaguely to the building they were in, a small but comfortable wooden outbuilding the Fire Temple had given to Genkuro and the girls, so that they could live separate from the monks. The latter had been a wish from both parties. Tayuya's unrestrained behavior didn't combine well with the monks, and with Genkuro being Genkuro… Temari had to admit that no matter how much the monks seemed to worship him, Genkuro remained loyal only to Temari and Tayuya.

On top of that, Genkuro preferred the quiet. He loved wandering out into nature, although it had taken some persuasion from Temari to make him understand that torching the nearby areas would be a bad decision.

Thus instead of gathering energy through his usual method of creating infernos, Genkuro had had to learn how to eat. Well, that, and how to deal with everything that followed after eating. This had led to some rather embarrassing situations, most notably with regard to the proper usage of the bathroom. Temari still thought that it was more efficient when he just burned his food in order to digest it, rather than using a proper digestive system. It was stuff one knew had to be explained to a child, but when it occurred with a young man who seemed to be around eighteen years old… his being a quick learner was his saving grace.

In fact, he learned so quickly that it frightened people. It was as if his teachers made Genkuro remember things, rather than taught him completely new concepts. However, while his mind seemed to move quickly, his body took a bit longer to adapt to that knowledge. That had been another reason why the younger monks were scared of Genkuro. His getting acquainted with his new body had created some peculiar incidents in the span of these two months. More than one building had been wrecked by his clumsiness. And when Chiriku had taught him how to properly gather energy to his fists, and challenged him to release his full power…

It had taken several dozens of monks and novices over two weeks to clear the rubble.

The loss of the entire training ground had been reason enough for Chiriku to increase his efforts to teach Genkuro proper control. It was something in which Temari and Tayuya helped out on a regular basis, because they didn't want to end up looking after a guy who nearly killed himself because he put every single ounce of energy he had into a single punch. That 'king punch', as Tayuya had named it, was useful, but at the same time a double-edged sword. Any attack that left the attacker defenseless after one single hit was a bad idea on the battlefield.

With the girls guiding him, Genkuro seemed to understand the explanations a lot better. Temari knew him better than anyone, and he followed her words without any hesitation. In fact, the naivety and dependency he showed were something that worried her. That is not to say that his trust was easily earned, nor that Temari could figure out how he even decided whether to trust someone or not. He tolerated the young monk Honen, and he listened to elder monks like Chiriku or Arata, but most others he simply ignored whenever possible.

No, the only ones he asked for opinions were her and Tayuya. In fact, in Tayuya's case he often didn't even have to ask, because thanks to the connection between them that had been created when he removed Orochimaru's seal, their minds were somehow linked- to some degree, at least. Neither Tayuya nor Genkuro were really able to explain it to Temari, not in better terms than 'being partially aware of each other's feelings', at least.

"We might be safe for now, as these shitty monks didn't sell us out as I thought they would, but that doesn't mean we will remain safe forever," Tayuya sighed. She hated to admit it, but she was scared that Orochimaru would find her again. "And these monks aren't going to stop him. And frankly, I'd rather keep Genkuro away from him too. I don't want to think what might happen if that snake found a way to control him."

"It would be bad," Temari agreed. "But his inability to channel chakra should at least diminish the interest Orochimaru could have in him."

"Sure, Genkuro might be unable to perform ninjutsu now, but I'm sure he'll figure out why he fucked that up. But you saw him manipulate fire, right?" Tayuya waited until Temari nodded. "If I'm not mistaken, that is exactly the same a chakra manipulation."

"So you think he will be able to do it? But why can't he even perform the most basic exercises?"

"Perhaps his body doesn't make regular chakra, but rather something different," Tayuya shrugged. "Your guesses are as good as mine. After all, he is some kind of freak of nature. Rather than gathering the usual chakra, whatever he gathers ignites stuff."

"His eyes seem to play an odd role in that too," Temari agreed. "Did you see him create that fire the other day? It almost reminded me of that ability the Uchiha were rumored to have.."

"Eh?"

"You know, their sharingan," Temari frowned. "I thought Orochimaru made you guys study all that stuff because of his interest in that Uchiha scrub from Konoha."

"We did, I told you about that, but I don't recall anything about creating flames. I do remember the whole genjutsu thing. That was a freaking overpowered thing to have. And if it wasn't bad enough, there were also those who were able to create some kind of freakish exoskeleton out of the thin air."

"My father made us study all those old records from past wars. That ability you mention was called the Susanoo, one of the Mangekyo Sharingan's special abilities. The mangekyo was some kind of second level of the normal sharingan, and it also had the ability to create undying fires. I remember that, because there were records from before the first Shinobi world war, that some members of the Uchiha clan destroyed Suna's forces with it."

"So you think Genkuro is somehow related to the Uchiha?" Tayuya frowned. "That would make no sense at all."

"No, I agree that it doesn't make sense. In fact, I don't even think he's human."

"That's rather obvious," Tayuya chuckled. "Though, I don't think he is some kind of demon either. Even those baldies are completely confused, and they are the experts on gods and demons, right?"

"Yes, Honen-san was convinced the elder monks would know something about Genkuro. Either they're hiding something, or they really don't know… I'm not sure."

"You distrust everyone, don't you?" Tayuya sighed. Well, she couldn't really blame the older blonde. After being sold by her own village, it was only logical Temari wouldn't be quick to trust anyone. Expecting people to have hidden agendas had become a second nature to her. "I thought I was the paranoid lunatic here."

"I guess sanity is the first thing we have to abandon in order to become strong. Just take one look at Genkuro and you know I'm right…"

* * *

"So, you found something Chiriku?" a tall man with waist-length, spiky, white hair asked.

"Jiraiya-sama," Chiriku inclined his head out of respect. Despite his own honored position within the fire temple, this was a man who remained humble. "We did find something. Or better, someone."

"Yet reports said you stopped searching a while ago… How long since you found him?"

'_How does he know about 'him'?'_ Chiriku blinked, and looked at the sennin. "We found _them_ two months ago," he admitted.

"A boy and a young woman?"

"A young man, and two young women," Chiriku frowned. "I see this was not what you were expecting."

"My expectations are irrelevant," Jiraiya scowled. Yes, the predictions the toads gave him were never that accurate, so the man never believed in any 'exact' information. In fact, whenever things seemed to be obvious in these kinds of issues, Jiraiya became most anxious- because those were the times one would miss the hidden meanings, distracted by the 'facts' which one perceived. '_Whenever you think to know something, you usually don't. This is just another of those cases.'_

"One of our monks set out for the wastelands, where he found the three of them, shortly after they were in combat with one of Orochimaru's men," Chiriku gestured to Jiraiya to follow him. The two men walked out of Chiriku's office, heading towards the square at the center of the large ninja temple. Jiraiya had to admit that the building was impressive, although the whole shinobi monastery thing wasn't exactly his area of expertise. _'Now, had there been a few brothels on the grounds... '_

But in sad truth, this monastery housed only ninja monks. In fact, it was a particularly famous site among the ninja temples in their world. They were neutral grounds, for very good reasons, as the temple housed more than one secret. Not one of the nations had any interest in having these secrets becoming public. No, among those secrets, these temples housed the bastards, the exiles, or the retired shinobi from the various villages.

Like all temples, the Fire Temple might hold little interest for political matters, but it definitely had power. Although, as it had no earthly aspirations, this power was something which was tolerated. That tolerance was robust due to the fact that attacking one temple meant attacking every temple in the continent, something which brought a high chance of a shinobi world war- because none of the hidden villages would remain silent when 'their' temple got involved.

Jiraiya looked around, and saw the forests which surrounded the area. Much like the holy site where the toads lived, this place seemed to overflow with nature. Jiraiya always suspected that there was some connection with the natural energy. '_These monks were probably drawn to this place, seeing how strong the atmosphere of natural energy is,'_ he mused. But more concretely, with mountains surrounding the temple on three sides, this was also a spot that could easily be defended. "So, why did you wait for two months?"

"The person we found was rather… unusual," Chiriku hesitated. "And with Orochimaru taking an interest in them, we found it wise to postpone informing you. After all, the odds are that he watches you. Apart from that, we just recently recovered from our own difficulties."

"Difficulties?" The tone at which he said it, made Jiraiya curious.

"One of our novices, a young monk in training named Sora, was assassinated on our grounds only shortly before the trio arrived. Actually, I suppose assassination is not the right word, as it seemed to be an attempt to kidnap the boy, but it went terribly wrong."

"Who would want to kidnap a novice?" Jiraiya frowned.

"Konohagakure," Chiriku made Jiraiya freeze in his tracks. "While we have no proof, I am convinced that Danzo, the Godaime Hokage, was behind this."

"Why?"

"Sora… he was a special child. His father experimented with chakra he had stolen from the Kyuubi, and sealed it within the boy. And while Sora was unstable, I have little doubt that Danzo took interest in him. In the days that followed upon the death of Konoha's jinchuriki, he hastened to urge us to hand Sora over, under the guise of political stability."

"Konoha's situation did not improve, with the war and all," Jiraiya agreed. "But to think he'd assault a monastery…"

"Shimura Danzo was never known for his ethical behavior."

"But how did they get in? The grounds are surrounded by the impenetrable Sealed Iron Walls," Jiraiya frowned. "Unless… he had agents hidden here, didn't he?"

"Two young novices aided the infiltrators. Which makes the situation of our current guests especially sensitive, as I am convinced Danzo would be interested in all three of them. Though, we could not find anyone else who might qualify as an infiltrator."

"I can understand him being interested if this indeed the boy I was warned about, but what about the others?"

"They live in that outbuilding over there," Chiriku pointed. "While they requested to remain anonymous, we know that the elder girl is a former kunoichi from Sunagakure, while the younger one is one of Orochimaru's old guards. Though, for some reason she was able to escape from his grasp. As she explained it, it was due to the actions of the young man they called Genkuro."

"Genkuro?"

"He does not match your descriptions, though we know for sure that this is the young man responsible for the strange sightings, those blazes. He somehow manipulates fire, and according to what the girl explained, he had used it to gather energy. Though I must admit this makes little sense, you will realize how different he is when you see him. And in these times… what is the situation between Iwa and Suna right now?"

"Complex is the word I would choose to describe it," Jiraiya sighed. "Some kind of deal between the two went wrong, and Iwagakure used it as an excuse to break the alliance they had just created. As a result, Suna was left to fend for itself, and the latest reports mention that there are rebellious factions that split the crumbled village even further. They should count themselves lucky that Konoha is already overburdened with guarding the borders against Iwa and Kumogakure…"

"Kumo also involved itself?" Chiriku felt his heart skip a beat. "Then this would become a new shinobi world war."

"Not yet, not yet… The Raikage is biding his time, watching closely for what Danzo and Ryotenbin no Onoki are going to do. No, what worries me more is that Kirigakure has united itself under a new leader. Kiri could become the power that tips this delicate balance. Iwa, Kumo, and Konoha, neither of the three trust each other, and neither would start a war while knowing the third would just wait until the two villages which are in conflict are sufficiently weakened. But with Kiri watching from the sidelines.. Kiri is protected by the seas. And to increase the chaos, there are reports that several jichuriki went missing. Everyone distrusts everyone right now."

"Every small spark could now start a raging fire," Chiriku added sagely. "That makes the rumors about the rebellious factions within Konoha even more worrisome."

"Don't worry, they know what is at stake," Jiraiya smirked, knowing that Asuma and Kakashi wouldn't do something as foolish as start a civil war. "Though I trust you won't tell anyone I'm in contact with them. As it is, Danzo already sees me as a threat which he'd rather remove. But if he knew I am in contact with the resistance… a drowning man will clutch at a straw, right?"

"If he is cornered enough, yes," Chiriku agreed. "And civil war would only serve as an invitation to possible invaders."

"Indeed, it seems like everything can only end in one big war… Though, I hope to find something or someone who can stop this madness."

* * *

"So, she really is going through a transformation of sort," Yakushi Kabuto smirked as he looked down at the fight that was unfolding between Hyuga Hinata and one of his expendable experiments. Orochimaru had left this stage of the girl's training to him, something which Kabuto took great pride in. Aiding in the creation of his master's new body was indeed an honor.

However, Kabuto was also interested in examining the possible weakness in this body as well. He always needed some kind of insurance, in case his master ever decided he wasn't useful enough anymore.

Taking out a pen, Kabuto scribbled down a few notes regarding her style of fighting. '_The drugs that increased her aggression seem to work. Today, she finally stopped hesitating. The previous days I needed to show her the consequences of her failure. Ah well, as fun as it is to torture a few failed experiments myself, having her willingly kill them is a lot quicker.'_

Yes, despite the fact that the girl had finally fallen for the seal's corruption, she still had hesitated when she had first been ordered to kill. Kabuto had, in the end, killed a few of the children on which Orochimaru and he experimented – the useless children at least – and made them suffer. Kabuto had tortured them until Hinata had finally done what he asked. For three days, this had been an event that repeated itself. But today, she showed no hesitation, no mercy.

The poor brat which Kabuto had selected for this spar was just a young civilian, who had sought out Orochimaru due to his desire to avenge his sister. '_Or was it his mother? I don't really recall. At least, I thought this was the kid who kept shouting about how his family was murdered by a couple of Suna shinobi. Not that it really matters, the kid was useless anyway. I got the data I wanted. All he's useful for at this point is to die for the sake of Orochimaru-sama's new body.'_

"I will kill you," the boy shouted. "I will kill you and then Orochimaru-sama will recognize me! I will never die until I have my revenge!"

Seeing his delusional state, Hinata didn't even feel pity anymore. "Every man dies, not every man really lives. My eyes see everything. You were dead long before you even entered."

Kabuto chuckled when he saw the boy's futile attempt to evade the girl's strike. Her palm connected to his chest anyway. His heartbeat stopped, his heart being ripped to shreds by her 'gentle fist'.

'_So clean, so efficient. And those idiots from Konoha thought this girl was a failure. As if a failure would have been able to resist that seal's influence for so long,'_ Kabuto fixed the position of his glasses and sighed. Those craving power always seemed blind for the potential others had. '_I guess that is why it is so easy to be a spy. People are stupid enough to do your work for you.'_

* * *

Temari stood up and walked toward the door. Someone had just knocked, and with Tayuya busy preparing their meal, Temari had been the one who had to answer. '_It still surprises me how someone so foul-mouthed can be such a good cook. It seems to be completely out of character for her…'_

Opening the door, Temari was greeted by the shiny bald head of the Fire Temple's head monk. "Chiriku-sama," she bowed. "Please en-" she froze when she saw the tall man next to him.

"Mari-san," Chiriku ignored her reaction. "I apologize for my rude interruption, but I have to introduce a guest to you, Tayuya-san, and Genkuro-sama."

"Oh my, when you said this was a missing nin from Suna, I never expected it to be the lost princess of the Sands herself," Jiraiya chuckled. His eyes went over the girl, clad in the new white kimono she and Tayuya had been given when they entered the temple's ground. He could appreciate the fact that the girl had been eating well for these last two months, as she definitely got some more 'form' on the right places.

"Who's at the door? Hurry up, I'm almost finished," a feminine voice sounded.

"May we enter?" Chiriku suggested. "I apologize for bring Jiraiya-sama along, but I vouch for your safety. He swore not to endanger the three of you. Though, I must admit that I would have liked to know that I offered sanctuary to Temari of the Sands."

"My name and my past are irrelevant," Temari narrowed his eyes. "Why did you bring a shinobi from Konoha here?"

"Oi, bimbo, hurry the fuck up. I'm putting the shit on the table!"

Temari ignored Tayuya's outburst, and kept glaring at the head monk. "Jiraiya-sama was the one who asked us to help find Genkuro-sama," Chiriku sighed. "And under the current circumstances, I believed he was the one best suited to aid Genkuro-sama with his rather unique… well, with developing and discovering his powers."

"I'm only here to help you three, nothing more," Jiraiya laughed heartily. "It's not like I'm going to… going to…" this time it was Jiraiya who froze. Chiriku's thick eyebrows creased when he saw the sennin's flabbergasted expression.

"Mari, dinner is ready," a blond young man, clad only a white pair of pants, identical to the samue pants the monks wore. His chest was bare though, and the way he leaned on the blonde kunoichi suggested that he was either totally clueless with regard to personal space, or these two were lovers. '_A blossoming love between two refugees at a temple complex… Oh, this is so going to be included in my next Icha Icha issue!'_

Any thoughts on writing left the sennin's mind when he looked at the young man's face. His spiky blond hair was practically identical to Minato's, although he had two locks of hair wrapped in bandages framing his face. A rather old-fashioned habit, which Jiraiya only remembered from very old books. But what shocked him most was his face. Yes, the young man looked exactly like Minato, or otherwise like Naruto minus the wiskers, but his eyes… churning orbs of flames took the place where one normally expected to see eyes.

Tilting his head, Genkuro stared at the newcomer.

"Oi! What in the name of the desecrated hamster are you two retards doing?" a pissed-off looking redhead, dressed in the same kind of white kimono as the blonde, stomped towards the group that now stood at the door. "The fuck? Why did you bring the fucking spymaster of Konoha to this place Baldy?" she exclaimed.

"Jiraiya-sama is here to help Genkuro-sama," Chiriku explained, as Jiraiya remained frozen, staring at the blond in question.

"And I ask: why?" Temari was still glaring at the monk. "If you wanted us out, you could've just said so, rather than selling us out to Danzo."

"I did not do such a thing, Jiraiya-sama is here on his own behalf, not on behalf of Konoha," Chiriku ensured.

"Toads," Genkuro whispered, drawing the attention of all. He shook his head in confusion, and an annoyed scowl appeared, as if he was trying to remember something which kept eluding him. "Who are you?"

* * *

"I couldn't find a thing, Orochimaru-sama."

Hinata watched from the doorway as a red-haired young woman bowed in front of Orochimaru.

"I sent you out with two squads to find answers with regard to who managed to kill Kimimaro… And you still end up failing?" Orochimaru was not exactly pleased- a fact that made the young red-head tremble in fear.

"M-my apologies, Orochimaru-sama," she blurted out, almost tripping over her own words. "I did not see the battle that ended with Kimimaro's death. I know that the chakra signatures I felt back then were odd, but they couldn't have been strong enough to defeat someone like him. And because Kimimaro sent me back before he went into the wastelands, I can't really tell how someone forced Kimimaro into using the second stage of his seal."

"You said enough about what you don't know," Kabuto sighed. "But what _do_ you know, Karin-chan?"

"I told you! There were three signals and two of them weren't that weird. One was approximately at the level of a jonin or high chunin, while the other was a bit weaker but rather distorted, as if it was someone who was wounded and lacked the proper chakra control. The third one was just… Well, I never felt something like it before. I can't really describe it, but if anything, I'd say that it wasn't even really human. It must have been, or else Kimimaro wouldn't have lost," Karin argued. "And I bet that this person was also the one who killed the sound four group. Other than that, I brought the data along with me. But the entire area was reduced to ashes, there simply wasn't much to collect."

"Enough. You may leave. Kabuto, make sure Karin gets a team escorting her to the northern hideout," Orochimaru hissed.

"As you wish, Orochimaru-sama," Kabuto bowed, and gestured to Karin to follow him. The two of them gladly left, because the killing intent which their master radiated made it clear enough that he wished to be left alone.

Hinata huffed, and returned to her room. In the old days, she would've been terrified, but now… apathy was all she felt- unless it was someone who she had to kill. '_Everyone I cared about is already dead. All that is left is to make sure that those who caused their deaths receive the appropriate punishment.'_

* * *

"Thanks for asking! I am Mount Myoboku-gama's holy master sennin, also known as toad sennin, remember my name… I am the legendary Jiraiya!"

Genkuro stared blankly at the man, who stood on top of a large toad. Both seemed to strike some kind of premeditated pose. But due to the toad's odd stance, the old man's balance was slightly off, making the moment rather embarrassing.

"What. The. Actual. Fuck," Tayuya whispered. "Is this the famous shinobi who is supposed to be on par with that Snake? You're shitting me, right?"

Jiraiya slumped down, as he heard the redhead's review. "No appreciation whatsoever. What an ungrateful audience," he whined. Fake tears streaming down his cheeks. "Ah well… Did that ring a bell, kiddo?" he looked at Genkuro.

Tayuya frowned, feeling his frustration through their link. '_Why does this piss him off so much?'_

"I thought it did, but I cannot remember. It was just… a feeling," Genkuro shrugged.

"You trust this goon?" Temari frowned, looking up at Genkuro.

"He seems familiar. I guess we could trust him. And Baldy-sama is with him."

"Hey, don't you start copying that bad language," the blonde knocked him on his chest. "Well, you two heard him," she walked back inside.

"I told you, I don't have any bad intentions," Jiraiya whined. "Seriously!"

"Perhaps, but something tells me I should be careful of you," Temari shrugged, causing Tayuya to nod in agreement. To Genkuro's confusion, Chiriku suddenly coughed. And that cough sounded suspiciously much like 'pervert'. Jiraiya's subsequent depression only confused Genkuro more.

* * *

'_Nice food, two beautiful young women at his side, this kid has a talent I've never seen before!'_ Jiraiya felt giddy as a little kid at the idea that he might teach this young man about ninjutsu. '_Only thing missing is sake… Though I suppose that isn't the wisest thing to drink, considering those eyes of his. Alcohol and fire never was a good combination.'_

"You think you can teach me how to use ninjutsu?" Genkuro summarized, after Chiriku explained why they were there.

"I sure do," Jiraiya nodded confidently. "I am the greatest teacher in the world, kid, so I'm going to make you the best shinobi the world has ever seen!"

"Why?" Temari interrupted. "Why are you willing to do such a thing?"

"One could call it a professional curiosity. This kid is the one behind those strange fires, right?"

"But what-"

"I told you, I have no ulterior motives to bring either of you to Konoha, Sunagakure, Iwagakure, or even to my old teammate. In fact, the Hokage would rather see me die yesterday than tomorrow, Suna and Iwa hate my guts, and as for Orochimaru… well, I'm pretty sure he would kill me if he had the chance," Jiraiya explained patiently. "But what about you, princess? There are a lot of rumors buzzing around, that you might even have survived that little incident at the border. And Suna wouldn't like you to be alive, Konoha would just kill you in order to prevent the possibility of an alliance and Iwa… Well, I suspect Iwa never cared much about that alliance. My intel suggests that they only wanted to get their hands on the various bloodlines Suna had."

Temari grimaced, and with her being distracted for a second, Tayuya took over. "What do you want with Genkuro? Why offer to teach him?"

"Because his power would be incredibly dangerous in the wrong hands, but…" Jiraiya knew that these girls would like this. "His power could also be the very thing our world needs. You three can't hide forever. The world is on the brink of a war between at least three nations. The entire continent would be plunged into chaos."

"And you think Genkuro might stop it?" Tayuya chuckled humorlessly. "So you just want to use him for your own goals?"

"That's the negative view on things, I guess," Jiraiya frowned. "You could also argue that I want to prevent a lot of meaningless misery. If anything goes wrong right now… You kids are too young to realize how much suffering a war of such a scale could cause. How many are you willing to sacrifice, just because you three prefer to hide?"

"What is war?" Genkuro frowned.

"Eh?" Jiraiya blinked.

"Errr… Part of your problem might be that Genkuro still would have to learn a _lot_," Temari sighed. "When I first met him, he didn't know even a single word. In fact, he didn't even have a real body."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"He created his own body. Before he looked like this, he was more like a mass of flames, which took the shape of a young boy. He doesn't know his name, and can't remember a single thing from before he met me."

Genkuro nodded, though Tayuya knew he hid the conflicting emotions he felt. '_Yes, he does seem to remember tiny little things. How did he know that Jiraiya is linked to the toads? Why could he remember ramen? And there was more… during fights, his emotions were weird. And with how he learns,'_ Tayuya mused. "What Bimbo is trying to say, is that he is still a retard, even though he's a quick learner."

"His speed at mastering taijutsu was indeed exceptional," Chiriku agreed. "Although explaining concepts is rather meaningless, I must add. He learns quickest by just doing."

"I guessed as much, he really seems the type for such a thing," Jiraiya smiled. '_Yes, he might not remember, but his looks, the way he acts…Gamamaru was right, this must be Naruto! But how? Was it due to Minato using the Shinigami to seal the Kyuubi? Or did something go wrong when the Kyuubi should have reformed?'_

Genkuro yawned.

"Geh, yeah, we've been talking for quite a while now," Jiraiya agreed. "I'll drop by tomorrow, around noon, okay?"

"'kay," Genkuro nodded.

* * *

"He was hiding something," Tayuya sighed. "but Genkuro somehow trusts him."

"You can bet your ass that Jiraiya of the sannin was hiding something," Temari snorted. "Despite his act as a fool, he is or was the spymaster of Konoha and is one of the strongest shinobi which that village ever produced. And his actions… I think he expected Genkuro to remember him- as if he already knew him."

"How?"

"How on earth should I know?" Temari shrugged. "Help me, will you?"

Tayuya helped the blonde get her spiky ponytail untangled. She always joked that Temari not only had the same hairdo as Guren, one of Orochimaru's minions, but also her stubborn personality. One of the few things that had made the arrogant Guren interesting in Tayuya's eyes. Well, apart from her looks, of course. Though, it is needless to say that it was a joke that went right past Temari, who had never met Guren, although she didn't exactly like to be compared to one of the snake's minions.

"Well, that was one long and shitty day," Tayuya grumbled. "Geh, I wonder if that idiot has some clues on how to let Genkuro do ninjutsu."

"Doubtful, but we never know…" Feeling tired, Temari hopped into bed.

"Where is that shithead? He not raiding the fridge again, is he?" Tayuya mumbled, wanting her pillow to hop in as well.

"He was taking a shower, last time I saw."

"Awww, and you didn't join him?" Tayuya smirked.

Temari's eye twitched in annoyance. "Having you talking me into this is bad enough already…"

"What?" the redhead feigned ignorance. "We both know Genkuro would've gone to you anyway, he said it himself: you calm him down, so he sleeps better and is less troubled by his weird dreams. I merely joined the fun."

"You just wanted to annoy me, admit it."

"Partially. But I had to keep an eye on you. I don't want you to violate him, right?"

"You…" the blonde started to fume.

"I love you too, sis," Tayuya winked. "But no way I'm going to give you the advantage when it comes to Genkuro."

Temari heard the redhead chuckle after the blonde turned her face away. "You know I'm not like that!"

"Then why act so self-conscious all the time? I already told you, Genkuro has no such ideas. Though, we should be more careful now. That Jiraiya is also famous for writing smut."

"What?!"

"Yeah, we can't have him corrupt our Genkuro.. That would be bad," Tayuya sighed. "At least, I cannot let him be corrupted until I finally manage to drag his attention away from you."

"You're really taking this seriously, aren't you?" Temari turned around, and stared Tayuya in the eyes. This time, it was the redhead who grimaced.

"Yes… he saved me- in more than one way. He gave me my soul back. How could I not love the guy who saved me, the guy whose emotions I can feel?" Tayuya hesitated. "At first, I didn't really understand that crap. All I knew was hatred, pain, and anger. But that bond with him, it is just… He changed me- and I'm sure as hell not giving him up without a fight."

"He saved me too, remember? Actually, he saved me first," Temari countered. "But I don't want to fight with you, not over such a thing. It is pointless right now anyway, as he is completely clueless. So we are not starting a fight over this, you hear?"

"I don't want to either… You… you are the first friend I ever made," Tayuya felt embarrassed, but admitted it anyway. "But I can't lie about what I feel either. I don't want to lie about that, not against you."

"Does he know? I mean, he feels your emotions too, right?"

"It doesn't work that way," Tayuya frowned. "I can feel a reflection of his emotion, but that doesn't mean I can always interpret it. How should I tell you… Ah, right! You could compare it to music!"

"Music?"

"Yeah, when I play, I put my emotions into the music. You can hear the music, but you won't understand what I feel, right? At least, not exactly. If I play sad music, you can hear I'm sad but not about what."

"So you're saying that whatever he can't comprehend, he can't find out through your link either?"

"Well, the fucker probably knows that he makes me happy, but I doubt he knows what it means to be in love or whatever. Hell, if he did, I wouldn't be sleeping in the same bed with him for the last two freaking months!"

"So you're just enjoying yourself while he doesn't even understand why," Temari laughed. "Poor Genkuro… Though, I agree we should keep that pervert on a short leash."

"What's a pervert?" Genkuro chose the worst moment to enter the bedroom.

"Nothing, just shut off the lights and get in, I wanna sleep dammit," Tayuya evaded the question.

"Oh, okay," he shrugged and did as asked. "Sleep well," he yawned. He idly wondered why both girls turned away from him. Sure, he could feel the turmoil in Tayuya's emotions, but understanding why… '_Last time they turned away, I smelled. But I took a shower. Why do they keep acting so weird? Perhaps I should ask that old man tomorrow. I've been wondering what is wrong with my body for a long time now. Ever since I attained this form, Temari has treated me differently… Something must be wrong with it!'_

* * *

"_Hey!"_

"_Now… I'm going to teach you a jutsu."_

"_This way! Face this way and say it! Pervert!" the blond boy snapped, annoyed that his teacher kept looking at the bathing women below. "Are you really serious about this? Hurry up and teach me!"_

_The old man turned and approached the boy. "Before that, do you remember the talk yesterday, about the two kinds of chakra?"_

"…"

"_You know, you said yellow chakra and red chakra."_

"_Huh? Yeah.. So, what about it?"_

"_You said you had incredible power when you felt the red chakra."_

"_Yeah, it kind of felt like that…"_

"_Then, try to release that red chakra right now."_

_Squinting his eyes, the boy tilted his head a little, wondering what his teacher was up to. "Alright, if you say so… I'll give it a try," he mumbled, before putting his hands together to start a sequence of hand seals that felt oddly familiar. _

Panting, Genkuro woke up, startled by his dream. He still felt like he was pulling on to something within him. Something missing.. The void within his stomach. Something was definitely wrong. But what? What did he lack, and why couldn't he understand that feeling he had in his dreams? It was like that sensation was not even part of him, but rather… anger, bloodlust, rage. Those weren't his emotions. It had been something different?

Tayuya pulled him back down, mumbling something unintelligible in her sleep.

"What was that? And who was that man? That old man in my dream, he looked just like the old man who visited today," he mumbled to himself.

Little did he know that Temari was actually awake. She had been startled, as she was sleeping while snuggling up to him, and he suddenly woke up. So, she heard his every word. '_So Tayuya was right. Genkuro remembers Jiraiya somehow. But why? Is this from before losing his memories? Is this the key to figuring out who he really is?'_

* * *

_Author's notes:_

* * *

And then you discover that your little side-story has over 500 'favourites' already! Funny to see how much quicker this story grows in popularity when compared to 'The Honoured Guest'. All the more motivation to improve myself and keep on writing! Even though… well, this was one hell of a chapter to write. Sometimes chapters seem to write themselves, but this one took me over a month, and I'm still not really sure if it is good or not. Guess I'll have to wait for your **reviews** to see whether I screwed up or not. Can always edit things. Sometimes writing a chapter can really become a struggle, even though you have no clue why… Time to see if it was worth the struggle!

I have to thank my beta **Illuminated** for the idea of Danzo wanting to capture Sora, as well as other suggestions to improve the flow of this chapter. And regarding to the used movie quote from last chapter: **Strangerinthecorner** guessed the Dirty harry option first; while **Nicrest** made me aware of the fact that Clint Eastwood said the same line in the movie "Sudden Impact" too.

And yes, I left a movie quote hidden in this chapter too!

* * *

-Z-

* * *

**Additional information on the Fire Temple**

The Fire Temple is a large ninja temple or shinobi monastery in the Land of Fire. The temple bears a strong resemblance to Shaolin monasteries, except that it only houses ninja monks. The Fire Temple is particularly famous among ninja temples, and forms the core of the network, as each temple in all the nations are allied to each other. While this confederation of temples does hold considerable influence, it does not aim for any worldly power or wealth.

The Fire temple is currently led by the former Twelve Guardian Ninja member, Chiriku, although he is mainly in charge over the worldly matters of the temple. The elder monks Bansai and Tsutsumi aid him in his leadership. While Bansai leads the education of the novices, Tsutsumi leads the support staff, overseeing the treasury and logistics. Chiriku, however, is responsible for anything the temple does outside of the confines of the impenetrable Seal Iron Walls which guard the complex.

These actions outside the temple complex include missions executed by the monks themselves, and political issues. However, these missions are not supposed to overlap with the interests of villages. No, the missions which the temple accepted were usually of a humanitarian nature, aiding those who cannot afford to hire help in any other way.

Within the temple complex, many statues and images can be seen, including two statues on either side of the front gates: Karasu and Yamabushi Tengu. Within the temple, legends tell that these were the two who taught humanity the arts of ninjutsu. However, the arts which the monks practice are old, older than the common ninjutsu practiced by the shinobi villages these days. Unlike regular ninjutsu, the monks have access to a special ability known as the Gift of the Hermit Group.

There are five ranks within the Fire Temple. The first and lowest rank is that of the monk-in-training, which includes the novices. Second, there are the regular monks, who are divided into three separate groups. The youngest and/or least skilled, from the lowest category, whose level of skill roughly resembles that of a common genin. When a monk's strength, experience, and knowledge grows he or she may test if the qualifications for the second category are met. This generally matches the strength of a common chunin. Honen is one who attained this rank. The third and last category of monks contains those whose skills reach the heights of a jonin shinobi. Arata, the monk how trained Honen and who nearly found Genkuro after the battle with the Sound Four, is one who attained this fourth rank within the temple's hierarchy.

The fifth and last rank is that of the senior monks. Unlike the novices, or the normal monks who were separate into three groups based on their abilities, the senior monks are those who hold their position due to their wisdom. These are the oldest and wisest, but not necessarily the strongest. Chiriku, Bansai, and Tsutsumi attained this rank. There are nine others who hold this rank, but who do not preside in the leading council, which takes charge of the day to day affairs. Still, important matters are decided by the full council, and only the senior monks hold a position in this.


	9. Fear of the future

**Pareidolia**

* * *

**Chapter nine**

**Fear of the future**

* * *

"_Being unwanted, unloved, uncared for, forgotten by everybody, I think that is a much greater hunger, a much greater poverty than the person who has nothing to eat."_

― Mother Teresa

* * *

High up on the mountainside, a man spoke to his white-clad 'gang of four'.

"The world is on the brink of war," Yomi bowed his head as he spoke to his four minions. His long black hair waved in the wind, but as frivolous as their surroundings were, his tan eyes were gravely serious- and so were his four minions. "This is the time for the return of Moryo-sama. With the nations divided, going at each other's throats, none will be able to stop us; none, but the priestess. Shion, the daughter of the one who sealed our lord, is the only threat that remains."

The Gang of Four looked at their leader, and smiled. "We shall eliminate that threat, Yomi-sama."

Jumping down the cliffs, they started their assault on the palace where the priestess lived. The four laughed as the pitiful soldiers tried to stop them. But against their ninjutsu, these ordinary men were powerless, just like the weaklings who had been protecting the shrine in which the demon Moryo had been sealed. That place had fallen to them just as easily.

"Die!" a swordsman rushed forward. Gitai crushed him just as easily as any of the other fools who rushed towards them. A second swordsman was less fortunate.

"You really are trying to hurt me, aren't you?" Gitai said in mock-sadness. He had grabbed the man by the throat, and lifted him from the ground. The man struggled, unable to breathe as Gitai suffocated him, and powerless to get free. "Weakling. Why so serious?" Gitai chuckled. "I'm going to snap your spine anyway…"

"All too easy," Kusuna laughed, as he saw Gitai executing his threat. "Now, let's kill that wench!"

Crashing through the gates, the four ripped through the defenses with ease. Water, lighting, wind, and flames… their adversaries could not even slow them down for a second.

"Come out little priestess, come out and play with us," Shizuku sang. "Come out, come out, wherever you are…"

One of the fallen archers in the background laughed weakly. Half of his body was blackened by a fire jutsu, but he still found the situation amusing. Susuki knew he was about to die, just like his comrades, but at least their sacrifice had not been in vein.

"What is so funny?" Gitai frowned back at him. "Are you that grateful that we ended your pitiful existence?"

"Shion-sama… she foresaw it," Susuki smirked. The stocky man with his wide face felt proud- proud that he could do his duty. He had known that he would die. He had seen it in the way Shion had looked at him before she left. But he didn't mind; his devotion to her, like all those who had the sacred duty of guarding the priestess, was not limited to something as trivial as life and death.

"You are too late," he rasped. His body had gone numb, and a cold spread through him despite all the burns that covered his body. "She is safe, and your plans will fail. She is… out of your… reach…"

Kusuna felt annoyed hearing the man's final words. "So she was already gone before we came here… Damn it all!"

Many miles away, a blonde girl stopped the man who carried her. Her pale lavender eyes bore a sad expression, even though she tried to hide that sadness behind a veil of arrogance. Her loyal assistant and bodyguard, Taruho, knew better than that.

"They all died, didn't they?" he sighed. The small guard detail which had escorted them froze as he spoke. Shion didn't speak a word, but just nodded silently. "We must hasten," Taruho decided. "The servants of that demon will soon pick up on our trail. Men, do as we agreed previously: we all spread out in different directions. Each of us tries to warn one of the hidden villages."

The other bodyguards nodded, and bowed to their priestess before they left.

"None of them will arrive," Shion said coldly, after the last of them had moved out of hearing range. "Nor will we, if we continue as we planned earlier."

"But my lady, Konohagakure must realize that if they-"

"For us, there is only death in Konoha," Shion spoke with a definitive tone, making it clear to Taruho that this was something she had foreseen. "The one who broke the seal in the temple in Numa no Kuni must have realized that as long as the Yureigun, the ghost army, was not sighted by the other nations, they would just abandon us to our fates. And like all other nations, Konohagakure is too obsessed with the threat of war to be of any help to us right now. They are not willing to acknowledge the legitimacy of our claim…"

"Then we must go elsewhere, to a place that might help us," Taruho mused. "And considering that the new Hokage did not respond to our earlier messages, I think we should rule out the option of Konoha coming to our aid. But perhaps the Fire Temple will…"

The priestess remained silent. She had seen her guard's death at the hand of a shinobi with the leaf insignia. She knew that it didn't matter where they would go, her vision was infallible. "Mother said that all temples are united," she eventually spoke. "If that is true, they might answer our request. They must, if they wish to halt the destruction of the world."

"Then we must hurry," Taruho picked up his priestess and sprinted off. 'Changing directions might not change my fate, but that is not important. The fate of our world depends on our actions. Moryo cannot be allowed to roam the earth again!'

His green vest fluttered in the wind as he increased his pace. Speed was essential right now. The only person who could stop Moryo could not be allowed to suffer any harm.

* * *

_Two weeks later._

* * *

Something tickled her underneath her nose. She huffed and she puffed, but whatever it was, it did not go away. And she was too sleepy to open her eyes. Attempting to turn around, something grabbed her. The more she struggled, the tighter the grip became.

"Don' leamme," she heard the other girl mumble.

Temari sighed. "Tayuya, I can't breathe if you keep strangling me like this."

"Wha?" her dark brown eyes fluttered, attempting to blink away the sleep. "Why'dyouwakemeupyadumbbimbo."

"Sorry?"

"Why the fuck did you wake me up," the red-haired girl yawned.

"Your hair was trying to seek its way into my nose," Temari yawned back. '_Seriously, why is it so tiring to watch other people yawn?_' "And when I tried to turn over, you seemed to think that I was going to leave you behind."

Tayuya blushed slightly. "W-well, it's much more relaxing to sleep like this," she tried to defend herself. "Gotta give the shithead props for talking you into this."

"Unlike you, he didn't have any ulterior motives," Temari pinched the bridge of her nose- with her free arm, that is. Tayuya occupied the other one. "And do you really need to sleep on top of me?"

"Hey, I was asleep, how could I control myself while sleeping?" Tayuya grinned. "And now that you're not just skin and bones anymore, you're actually softer then my pillow. Seriously, you were way to skinny. At least now you've got some tits," Tayuya smirked when Temari grumbled something which closely resembled 'personal space' and 'sexual harassment'. "Don't whine, Bimbo, unless you're actually growing uncomfortable because you share your bed with a total babe like me."

"Tch. You're getting conceited. Where's Genkuro though?"

"Out on a walk. He was too frustrated to sleep properly."

"He said he has had weird dreams ever since that old pervert found us."

Tayuya let go of the blonde girl and raised herself to a sitting position. "He remembers things, but it seems like he doesn't understand them. It confuses him, frustrates him- and that the old perv's training isn't successful- it doesn't really help either."

"Yeah, those chakra control exercises really have been a fiasco up till now," Temari sighed.

"You know," Tayuya scratched her chin, seemingly pondering about something. "Perhaps he would sleep a little better if… if we gave him some more 'relaxation' before going to sleep?"

Temari groaned. "I'm starting to regret the moment you commandeered all of that man's filthy books. You've started reading them, haven't you?"

"Well, only a little," Tayuya half admitted, half defended. "Although he could use a beta, there's actually a surprisingly good plot in-"

"Yeah yeah, I heard my brother utter the same bogus arguments," Temari scowled. "But just like Kankuro, you are reading that smut only for the steamy bits that are littered through the story, and the 'climax' that always follows at the end of the book, aren't you?"

"You seem to know those books very well, don't you?" Tayuya had a knowing smile on her face now, one that caused Temari to blush and hastily attempt to deny it. Tayuya already had other plans.

She knew her well enough to know that the blonde would never admit it, so she might as well tickle the truth out of her.

A lot of tickling later, Temari finally caught her breath again. "Fine, fine, you win. I snatched one of his books away, and later on I got curious," her smile vanished suddenly. "But the real thing… I don't know, I think that smut isn't exactly realistic."

Tayuya lay down next to her, but the blonde turned away. "Bimbo… The three of us are outcasts. We have nowhere to go. We don't have anyone to go to. We only have each other. You promised me that you wouldn't leave me behind. We share the same debt, right?"

"…yes."

Smiling, Tayuya knew that this time it was her turn to be the one to emotionally comfort the other. "Then this time I'm the one who acts like the big sister," she hugged Temari. "All the bad shit we had to endure before we met, nothing of that will ever happen again. You're not getting sold off to some old fucktard, and I'm not getting my mind invaded. I will protect you, you will protect me, and the both of us will make sure Genkuro doesn't set the world on fire, okay?"

"…"

Tayuya squeezed a bit tighter. "Okay?"

"Okay," Temari sighed in defeat. "But do you have to be so cuddly?"

"Geh, I'm just glad I could finally act like the responsible one for a change," Tayuya chuckled, ignoring the last remark. Temari knew full well why: Tayuya would never admit she had a softer side as well… and considering how that side of her personality had been blocked by the cursed seal until recently, Temari knew that the girl would need time to adjust- to cope with her own feelings.

'_Ah well, there are worse people to get cuddly with.'_

* * *

He noticed that someone was outside, so he went out searching. It was early in the morning, not the hour he usually was awake, but without a brothel or suppliers of sake in the vicinity Jiraiya had no reason to stay up late. Nor was there any reason to wake up with his usual hangover. Consequently, with nothing else to do, he hit the sack early, and woke up earlier than he had done for years. But it was worth it, he reminded himself. After all, Jiraiya knew he had a lot he needed to atone for. Failing Naruto was one of the things which haunted him most.

But now, he had found the blond enigma named 'Genkuro'. The mysterious young man looked so much like Naruto and Minato, except for those eyes… those churning orbs of liquid fire that seemed to pose as eyes. Jiraiya still felt freaked out by those eyes. He had seen so many dojutsu during his life, but never anything that even closely resembled the eyes of Genkuro.

Then again, he never had met anyone as strange as Genkuro. Orochimaru, his old teammate and friend, seemed to do everything in his power to become something inhuman. But Jiraiya knew that despite the man's efforts, Orochimaru still was a human. Genkuro was the opposite, Jiraiya had soon realized. As much as the young man tried to act like a human, he was fundamentally different from everyone else.

'_I suppose that is why he can__'__t manipulate any chakra,__'_ Jiraiya considered. '_If the sages were right, than this kid should be Naruto. But everything about him is so different. He doesn__'__t remember a thing about Naruto, the Kyuubi, Konoha, or even me… well, it's not like I could blame him for not remembering a person who was barely even in his life. Some godfather I was,__'_ the sannin sighed.

Despite his inner reflections, Jiraiya moved a silent as a mouse, and quickly found the person who had been sneaking through the forests near the guest quarters of the Fire Temple.

It was the very same blond sinewy young man that occupied his thoughts. '_Genkuro. But why is he out here at this hour? He has two beautiful young girls in his bed and still… well, according to them he doesn__'__t even have an idea of what it could mean to share a bed. He__'__s really too innocent. Hell, if I were a few decades younger, I__'__d know what to do,__'_ fake tears of jealousy ran down the sage's face. '_Too bad they confiscated my books; I could teach him so many things.__'_

* * *

Standing in a clearing amidst the trees, Genkuro looked up at the starry skies. Soon, the sun would rise, he could already feel its warmth approaching. But he was restless. He was annoyed by shards of memories that haunted him at every waking moment. Images flooded his mind, but without any context for him to understand them. They filled his dreams, and interrupted him constantly: images of a kind old man talking to him, a steaming bowl of ramen, a black haired boy with red eyes fighting him, another bowl of ramen, a pink-haired girl's fist approaching his face, three steaming bowls of ramen, him looking down at a stream of water while a red-haired woman said something to him, a pile of empty ramen bowls, a white-haired man scolding him, a slender girl with long, dark brown hair standing next to an adult male, both smiling at him while waving goodbye, a black-haired man in white garb, shouting something at him... and on and on the images would come.

None of the images made any sense to Genkuro. Why would he remember those things when he had never seen them before? Why did Temari feel so familiar to him? Why did the old man who was now watching him give him that same impression? '_Have I met them before?_

There were some fragments about toads, toads larger than any he had ever seen before. There was even one larger than the main building of the temple. It was crazy and unnatural, Genkuro would have thought, if not for the things he had seen in Tayuya's mind. Through her, Genkuro had seen enormous snakes and all kinds of things that he had never encountered before. Thing he had not considered possible.

'_But… what did I see of the world? The mirrors of Tayuya__'__s memories showed me a world far greater than I ever experienced,__'_ he sighed. He felt lost and confused. The experience he had with her memories was so different. There had been a certain order in those mirrors, but the images he saw in his own mind… Perhaps he had the same hall of mirrors, but those mirrors had, for some reason, been shattered. '_Who am I? The white haired man knew me, and somehow I seem to know him too__…'_

Genkuro grimaced. There was red hair, black hair, blond, white, grey; blue eyes, brown, green, yellow, white, crimson with strange patterns- even one colored purple with an odd rippling pattern. It made no sense at all to Genkuro, all those colors, all those perspectives. There were young and old, tall and short, angered and calm. It was a chaos without any sort of order or logic imposed. Nothing was singular. There were so many different ways in which Genkuro saw the fragments… The only pattern that seemed to repeat itself in every different perspective was conflict.

Regardless of the seemingly endless variety, every shard inevitably contained war, bloodshed, and violence.

So many shards had been filled with those aspects that it scared him. Unspeakable horrors filled Genkuro's dreams at the bad nights, terrifying him. Genkuro could not fathom why people resorted to those measures, just to get what they wanted. The monks told him all life was sacred, a gift that everyone should cherish. But why were so many shards filled with impressions that seemed to point at something completely different? Why did humans treat each other as expendable?

Looking up at the tree where the tall man was thinking he had hidden himself carefully, Genkuro wondered why Jiraiya had not realized that hiding was pointless. Genkuro could see his warmth, clear as day. In fact, Genkuro did not understand why all the others differentiated between light and dark, or day and night. A person's warmth was always clear to be seen, wasn't it? And Jiraiya had more warmth than any other, even if as he was doing now, tried to veil it. The very usage of his warmth to hide his warmth was something that confused Genkuro. What was the reasoning behind that? It seemed… illogical; that had been the word that Temari used to describe such things.

"I know you are up there," he eventually spoke up. Genkuro smiled when he saw Jiraiya freeze, shaken that he was detected so easily.

Hopping down from the trees, the confused Jiraiya moved towards the young man. "How?"

"How?" Genkuro tilted his head.

"You cannot manipulate chakra, cannot do any jutsu, and still you see me?"

"Your warmth is your warmth," the blond answered, as if that made everything obvious. Of course, for Jiraiya it was anything _but_ obvious. Then again, he had tried to get an explanation on this before, and did not get one step closer to understanding Genkuro's concept of 'warmth'. Even the two girls couldn't really understand.

"I know it is not literal 'warmth' as in body temperature, and it isn't chakra either, so what are you talking about?" he decided to give it another try.

"It is… warmth?" Genkuro frowned. He turned his head away, and stared intently at the dead tree at the other end of the clearing. "That has lost its warmth, but is still spreading what it had left," he pointed. "From it, more beings get warmth. Warmth is in the air, in the water, in the trees, the animals, in your kind, and in me."

'_Did he just say '__your kind' to refer to me as human__?__'_ Jiraiya wondered. "You mean chakra?"

"You change your warmth when you do your tricks," Genkuro shrugged. "Whether you call the warmth 'chakra' is irrelevant. Warmth is everywhere. Warmth connects everything."

"Wait… you don't mean natural energy, do you?"

"Natural energy? I don't know what that is. But what does it matter, warmth is warmth."

"But don't you want to learn how to control it?" Jiraiya bristled. "You have to be aware that, whatever you may be, it is something that puts everyone in danger!"

"Mari said people would want to use me," Genkuro's voice had a coldness that Jiraiya had not encountered before. "They may try."

"The things the monks taught you would not be enough to protect those two gi-"

Jiraiya paused when he saw sparks around Genkuro's eyes. Suddenly, the churning orbs of flames ignited, its color going from bright red to an almost blinding white. Air moved, as if something invisible passed through it. Gasping, Jiraiya saw the dead tree across the field combust. The flames spread wildly, but before the forest would be on fire, the inferno suddenly changed direction. In orderly arcs, the flames formed four fiery 'snakes' which crawled through the air towards Genkuro.

"I will not allow anyone to hurt Temari or Tayuya. Ever," Genkuro stood up, spreading his arms as if he invited the fire to come to him. And it did… It just cradled around his bare chest, and seemed to sink into his skin.

'_Is this what they meant by gathering energy?__'_ Jiraiya wondered. The man watched as the bare-footed blond, clad only in white pants, walked away from him, into the woods. '_So he really is able to combust things by merely looking at them. Although the current of air that precedes it makes it pretty easy to dodge the blast itself, his weird ability to manipulate the fire itself makes him problematic to fight.__'_

* * *

"'Morning ladies!"

"Oh, it's just you," Tayuya frowned. She had opened the door when someone knocked. Since Genkuro had been absent the entire morning, they had thought it was him, but it was Jiraiya who had stood outside the door. He was now acting as if he had a severe depression. His little show even included a genjutsu of a small raincloud on top of his head.

"No one ever values me here."

"That's because you're a pervert," Temari added insult to injury. "Told you that before."

"And I answered just as many times: I'm not a pervert!" Jiraiya sobbed. "I'm a super-perv-"

"Yeah yeah, we know that routine already," Tayuya tapped her foot impatiently. "Now, do you want to get your wrinkly old ass in here, or do you want to wait outside in this damned rain?"

"…you really have a foul mouth, don't you?" the toad sage deadpanned.

"Told you that before too," Temari smirked. "Genkuro's not here though, we don't know where he is."

"We assumed he had already gone out to train, but if you are here I wonder where he went," Tayuya frowned. She turned towards the blonde. "Should we head out?"

"He's fine, I saw him two hours ago, in the woods," Jiraiya hushed. "He was a bit agitated though, and I wondered if I could speak to him again…"

"Agitated? Genkuro?" Temari looked at the sannin in disbelief. "I've only seen him angry once…"

"And you seriously don't want him to go black on you. Really, that guy is usually all cheerful and warm, but when you piss him off badly enough… cold, dark, endless," Tayuya shivered. "When I was still loyal to that Snake, me and my group tried to capture Genkuro. He lost it, and got really fucking mad. I'm the only one who survived that little outburst."

"He still had sense enough to spare you," Temari added. "So he didn't _lose_ it at all. But is true that he was acting differently compared to the other times he killed. Before, he did it almost casually, as if he had no idea of the severity of his actions, but when your group attacked… he took it personal. Perhaps that is why he turned black like that. It certainly was a contrast to his ordinarily warm and cheerful persona."

"Black? Literally black?" Jiraiya wondered.

"Yeah, he somehow shed his body and showed his true form or whatever it is that I should call it. It was actually too fucking weird to put it in words. But when we thought we had trapped the fucker, he somehow broke the jutsu that was supposed to drain him from all his chakra. At that point, he wasn't made out of flames anymore. Pitch black, he was more like a walking silhouette of shadow. Black as ashes…" Tayuya scowled. "Dammit, I really hate thinking back to the shit I did when that Snake controlled me," she admitted hesitantly. She looked rather uneasy anyway, every time the man was nearby. And she looked at Jiraiya and decided to tell why. "You hate me for the part I had in the death of that old geezer, back when the Snake attacked Konoha, don't you?"

Jiraiya was taken aback by the sudden confession of the red-haired girl. "I'm not blaming you. You're like a completely different person now, right? I know my former teammate can be rather persuasive when he wants to be, and from what you three told me about the cursed seal that you had, it already made me think that it wasn't you who did those things," Jiraiya smiled his usual goofy smile. "Besides, I'm rather bad at holding grudges against beautiful young maidens like you! I am kind and forgiving, that is why all the women in the continent worship me!"

"Tsk. Pervert."

"Super pervert," Jiraiya huffed.

"Forgiving," Temari scoffed, narrowing her eyes as she glared at the sannin. "You did not exactly forgive my little brother, did you?"

The goofy façade was dropped instantly. "That thing was no longer your little brother. The thing that murdered my godson was no longer human. You should know this, girl. You were running for your life when you 'brother' abandoned his sanity and let the Ichibi take control," the sennin said coldly. "What I killed was Shukaku, the bijuu, not Sabaku no Gaara, the human. His flesh may have been alive, but his soul was already devoured. If you want to blame anyone for his fate, it should be the idiot who designed the seal he had."

"What do you know about-"

"Face the facts. The Ichibi was not the strongest of the Bijuu, yet he caused that much trouble? Sunagakure had never been known for its fuinjutsu. Not that it was known for selling off its daughters, for that matter…"

'_Oh crap.._' Tayuya could _see_ the blonde's already limited patience run out. So against her nature, she decided to pacify the situation. "Calm down Bimbo, you know the Snake used Suna and your brother, right? We've got enough shit to deal with, so let's not keep grudges that don't mat-"

"He knows something about Genkuro," Temari snapped. "He hides something from us!"

"What do you mean?" Jiraiya did not like the direction this conversation was suddenly taking, especially not when Tayuya instantly dropped her efforts to defuse the blonde. Besides, he wasn't even sure about this himself, so how could he tell someone else?

"He seemed to remember you. When you first saw him, you expected him to recognize you. You aren't here for some kind of charity. You are hiding something from us, you know something about him. Tell us."

Jiraiya gulped, noticing the murderous aura around the girl. Not since Tsunade herself had he met a blonde who was this scary when incensed. "I can't tell you what I do not know for sure," he tried to wiggle his way out of it.

"Then tell us what you think you know," Tayuya pressed him back into defence. "I'm not going to shield you from Bimbo's rage if you're lying to us, dammit! Hell, if you don't tell us what you're hiding, I'm going to fry you in the deepest hell of any genjutsu I know."

"Okay then… you asked for it yourself," Jiraiya sighed. He sat down on one of the chairs in the small kitchen. "The reason why I was looking for him, the reason why I asked the temple to look for him, was because I think he might be my godson."

"Your go… wait, what? How in fuck's name is that possible? You just said that your godson got killed."

"Myobokuzan houses an ancient toad who has a rather unique ability," Jiraiya gestured the girls to sit down as well, knowing that this might take a while. But the stunned Temari didn't see him. Her face had gone pale, her eyes dull, and Jiraiya wondered if she was even listening to him. "That toad is connected to the flows of natural chakra to such a degree that he is able to foresee the future of our world, well, at least for a bit. I never really understood how he did it, but he talked about all kinds of patterns that kept repeating themselves throughout the flow of time… or something like it." Jiraiya scratched his chin. "That toad is the most senile creature I know."

Tayuya deadpanned. "Right… so a senile, ancient toad told you something, and you-"

"You don't get it. You don't get it at all. What he foretells is always correct," Jiraiya interrupted her. "I was said to find and train a boy, and that that boy would become the harbinger of a great revolution in the world of the shinobi. I thought that prophecy was the first ever to be wrong, as my last student had died. I thought the prophecy had been fulfilled when I trained Minato and he became the Yondaime Hokage. Yes, I trained the fourth Hokage," Jiraiya added with a sad smile when he saw Tayuya was about to interrupt him again. "But he died, just like my other students were reported to have died… Then, after a long time during which I had lost all faith in that prophecy, I took a new student. Uzumaki Naruto."

Jiraiya saw Temari cringe when he said the name.

"Wait… isn't that the kid who was a jinchuriki? I think I remember him from the Chunin Exams we saw before the invasion. Loud, obnoxious, orange, countless clones… And he had that freakish chakra," Tayuya mused. "How could that kid be your godson?"

"It was a secret, but I suppose it doesn't matter anymore at this point. Especially not with you two. Naruto was the son of the Yondaime."

For the first time, Temari reacted visibly, as she gasped. "It can't be… not him… he…"

"Naruto was killed by Shukaku," Jiraiya continued with a pained expression. "After that, I lost interest in life. It was even worse than when Minato… I couldn't bear to live in Konoha after Minato and his wife died- that was why I took the role of spymaster. It meant that I spent next to no time in Konoha, and barely saw Naruto as he grew up. The Sandaime argued that it was better for the kid to remain far from me, or people would figure out who Naruto truly was, due to my link with Minato- and Minato had no shortage of enemies. Just utter his name in Iwa and you know that their grudge against him has not been forgotten at all. But in my heart, I knew I was running away. Naruto suffered from my cowardice, as he grew up in an environment that hated him. His loneliness, his pain, I felt guilty for all of it. But I thought I could fix all that once he was old enough to become my student…"

"…and then he got himself killed," Tayuya finished for him, after he left a sad silence. "But how could Genkuro be him? This Naruto died, right?"

"Some time after Naruto died, I was called to Myobokuzan again. Frankly, I was sick of it all, and didn't want anything to do with that prophecy anymore. But still, curiosity got the better of me, and I went up the mountain to see the old geezer again. The Great Toad Sage told me that my last family was not dead. He said my only family would return. I thought it was nonsense, because someone who died couldn't just pop up again, right?" Jiraiya chuckled humorlessly. "Until those weird incidents happened. Those fires, at first I thought it was the Kyuubi who had returned, but that turned out to be false as well. All I found in the molten remnant of those infernos were the footprints of a little kid. And then it occurred to me…"

"Bijuu reform after some time," Temari said. "But not their jinchuriki, right? I mean, Gaara died, so-"

"Naruto was not simply a jinchuriki like any other," Jiraiyed grimaced. "His dad sacrificed his own soul to imprison the demon. Minato made a contract with the Shinigami itself. I do not know how, but I theorize that it somehow connected Naruto's soul to the Kyuubi. But I am unable to find anything that really proves it."

"That sounds retarded," Tayuya scoffed. "I mean, sure Genkuro is weird, but how could he be a reincarnated tree-hugger? That goes against every law of nature!"

"But it is true, Tayuya," Temari whispered. "It has to be… He doesn't remember a thing, but it is him."

"Eh?" both the red-hair and white-hair replied simultaneously.

"When Genkuro first saw me… he didn't even know how to talk. He didn't know anything at all. But later, he said he saved me and stayed with me because I felt familiar to him," the blonde grimaced, trying to bite away the tears she felt welling up. "O-of course he would. I was one of the last people he saw before Gaara c-crushed him.."

Tayuya rushed forward, seeing the fragile state of the now-crying Temari. The latter barely realized that Tayuya embraced her, tried to comfort her. Any other would have wondered why Tayuya of all people, the trash-talking, temperamental, and at times down-right ferocious Tayuya, would act like that. Perhaps even Tayuya did not have an answer to that question. Even she barely realized that ever since Genkuro had freed her, she had been attracted to the girl.

Well, attracted would not be the right word, as there was nothing sexual about it – not that Tayuya thought the blonde was ugly. But something about the young woman touched her heart. Had she not been so occupied with digesting her own memories, Tayuya might have found that this deeply rooted emotion was not her own, but rather that of Genkuro. That trust, that unconditional faith, some of it might be from how Temari had aided her, but most of it originated from Genkuro.

After all, part of him had replaced the part of Orochimaru that resided in her seal.

And out of any possible moment Genkuro could have picked, he decided to enter the house at that very moment. Confused, he stood in the opening between the hall and the kitchen, looking at the teary Temari who leaned on the shorter Tayuya. Genkuro could not see Tayuya's face, but he clearly felt her restlessness. He glared at the sennin, who sat at the kitchen table.

Jiraiya began to sweat when the temperature suddenly rose.

"Was it you? Did you hurt Temari?"

Looking at the young man, Jiraiya swallowed the joke he was about to make. He had seen this expression before, only few hours ago. "You really are protective of them, aren't you?"

"Did you make her sad?" the temperature stopped rising any further. Instead, it suddenly dropped. Jiraiya quickly raised his hand, gesturing Genkuro to calm down, but soon he could see his own breath. Small clouds, every time he exhaled. Jiraiya could swear he felt the tip of his nose freeze. "Why is she sad?" Genkuro's voice was just as cold as the air around Jiraiya.

"I didn't do anything?"

"You lie," Genkuro said flatly.

"Wait, you can tell when I'm lying?" Jiraiya started to sweat despite the freezing temperatures. "She asked a question, I gave an answer," he tried to evade the truth as best he could, without telling lies. _'I cannot tell him about his past, can I? He already seemed to be lost and confused, adding all that would only burden him further. Right now, he is already so fragile. No, I can__'__t tell him. Even if he hates me for it, so be it.__'_

"I am fine, Genkuro," Temari interrupted, with a weak, though firm voice, surprising Tayuya, who felt the blonde trembling. "There is no need for such aggression."

Jiraiya felt his ears pop when the temperature instantly returned to normal levels. Much to his confusion, the two girls seemed completely unfazed. '_Oh, of course. He wouldn't harm them, so they didn__'__t feel anything at all.__'_

"Mari, what was wrong?"

"It's nothing," Jiraiya felt relief when Temari had apparently reached the same conclusion as he did. "It was about my old village. My past. What happened before I… before we…"

Genkuro grimaced. He didn't really understand her, not like Tayuya, but he knew her past was something that hurt her. Deeply.

"Let's just go out and start your training," Temari decided.

"'Kay."

"Oi, you want to go out there in the damn rain?"

"Why not?" Genkuro didn't understand the problem Tayuya had.

"Well, you'd get-"

"Wet?" Jiraiya suggested, with a smirk that made it very obvious what he was hinting at.

"Shut it, ya damn pervert."

"Super pervert," Jiraiya mumbled half-heartedly. He still felt more than a little disbelief when he suddenly saw the menacing young man turn into a happy-go-lucky kid who followed the two girls outside. '_As I thought before, that kid is truly an enigma. And when he changes he mood, the entire atmosphere around him changes with him__…'_

Tayuya, meanwhile, eyed Temari with more than a little suspicion. '_What was she doing? Why wasn__'__t she talking about this with Genkuro? Or Naruto? Damn, what should I call him now? Fuck, and I gotta be careful he doesn__'__t figure it out through me, either. If she agrees with the pervert to hide this shit, she must have some reason.__'_

She had plenty of reason- Temari was terrified. _'If he remembers who he was, he will remember me. He will hate me,_' she repeated in her mind, over and over again. And somehow, the possibility of Genkuro hating her terrified her more than anything. '_He would abandon me. I know it. He would not want to know me any longer. He wouldn__'__t want to see me- not the sister of the one who killed him, not the sister of the one who killed his friends. But I can__'__t… I can__'__t have him hate me. Not him. Anyone but him.__'_

* * *

_Author's notes_:

* * *

Hi Shion! I wonder how many of my readers expected your arrival in this story. I wonder how one who can foretell death reacts upon meeting one who has already died, though. Or… no, I'm not going to spoil anything about Naruto's current status. No spoilerino. So back to this chapter: Temari's role was pivotal. She seems rather shocked that the boy she found, or who found her, is actually the one who got murdered by her little brother. As such, the title is not only a reference to Shion, but also to Temari-chan, who is not looking forward to the day when Genkuro remembers who he once was. And remembers the part she had in his death and the deaths of his teammate(s).

I'm surprised no one found the hidden movie quote from the previous chapter. Ah well, perhaps it is not the most famous lines of the movie "Braveheart". I made today's quote easier to find. Though, as a bonus, I wonder how many people get the reference with regard to Genkuro's new ability. Does he have a fourth magatama? You'll see next time!

Oh, and I'm sorry about the wait. I focused most of my effort on my main fic, The Honoured Guest, while I also wrote an oneshot. Well, and there were vacations. But I'm back, and my beta **Illuminated** is back as well! The next chapter should be published a bit sooner. I already wrote half of it, but decided to split it, because the chapter was getting way too long again. Besides, this greedy author thinks he would get more reviews by publishing two 6k chapters, than one 12k…

* * *

-Z-

* * *

**Jiraiya**

Jiraiya, one of Konohagakure's famous 'Sannin'. Also known as the Gama Sennin, or Toad Sage, this jonin is ranked amongst the most powerful shinobi in the world. Aside from that, he is also the world's most (in)famous pervert, one who travels all the brothels and hot springs in the world to gain inspiration for his 'Icha Icha' novels. While highly feared by most women, he is actually one of the richest men in the world, as his franchise is a huge success amongst the male population of every nation. While his status as pervert is obvious, his status as jonin is actually a matter of discussion in Konoha, as he has not sworn his allegiance to the new Hokage yet. And many people doubt he ever will.

Gender: male  
Age: 53  
Height: 191.2 cm  
Weight: 87.5 kg  
Blood type: B

Ninjutsu: 5  
Taijutsu: 4.5  
Genjutsu: 3  
Intelligence: 4.5  
Strength: 4.5  
Speed: 4.5  
Stamina: 5  
Hand seals: 4.5

Total: 35.5

Note: after the death of Uzumaki Naruto, Jiraiya vanished from Konoha. Since then, no new Ichi Icha volume has been published either, much to the dismay of half of the world. When asked, Jiraiya boasted that much of the tensions in the world are actually his fault, because men across the world are frustrated that he did not publish a new installment yet. This claim remains yet unverified, although a large portion of his readers do indicate that 'cliffhangers are the bane of literature!'


	10. Threats of the past

**Pareidolia**

* * *

**Chapter ten**

**Threats of the past**

* * *

"_There's never been a true war that wasn't fought between two sets of people who were certain they were in the right. The really dangerous people believe they are doing whatever they are doing solely and only because it is without question the right thing to do. And that is what makes them dangerous."_

― Neil Gaiman

* * *

'_He has zero talent at ninjutsu, but such an insane level of talent at taijutsu. That kid could be a pupil of Gai. Good thing he doesn__'__t have the same horrible haircut, though,__'_ Jiraiya thought as he oversaw the spar between Genkuro and the older monk Arata. With some creative usage of the earth element, he and the two girls had been able to take a seat, while sheltering from the rain at the same time.

"Raigo: Shihai," Arata bellowed. His deep voice droned through the damp air. A massive fist appeared, formed out of the unique chakra that the monks of the Fire Temple could use. The fist knocked Genkuro down to the ground. With his arms crossed in front of him, blocking the attack, Genkuro actually panted from the effort it took to stop the blow.

'_One fist, and it wore him down that much?__'_ Jiraiya watched, one brow rising. '_The girls said that he would change when that fourth symbol appeared, but other than creating those explosions with his eyes, I haven__'__t seen him change that much. His inability to gather chakra is more worrisome, though.. Well, that and his mental instability. I wonder what would happen if I told him about Naruto, and my suspicions… From what I__'__ve seen up until now, he could just as well literally explode in anger.__'_

That first fist was only the prelude though; dozens followed immediately after the first dissipated. None were as strong as the first, as the chakra was not as solid as the first hit- but that was the intention. The first hit was only used to push Genkuro into defense, while the barrage that followed was meant to wear those defenses down and ultimately beat the snot out of the target.

'_Seems like Genkuro can hold his defense longer than Arata can manage to sustain that attack,__'_ Jiraiya noticed. Still, he was impressed. The Senzoku no Sai, and the Seiken style that used this typical kind of chakra, certainly was much stronger than the old sennin had anticipated. The usually non-violent monks kept themselves out of battles as long as they could, which resulted in Jiraiya only having sporadically heard of their prowess. But what Arata now showed, as one of the best within the temple after Chiriku, made Jiraiya re-evaluate his previous encounters with these monks.

'_The entire Seiken style is rather chakra-consuming though. Especially when they abandon the basic forms and use that 'welcoming approach__' __thing. Still, as taxing as that welcoming approach might be, its power is certainly devastating. Who would have known these crazy monks were capable of creating such chakra constructs. The 'Gift of the Hermit__'… __Dammit, these things are perhaps all what is left of the teachings of the Sage of the Six Paths himself! And these monks created an entire religious layer around it. Then again, using it in combat is probably the easiest way to master this kind of stuff,__'_ Jiraiya watched as Genkuro rose to his feet, and began pressuring Arata again.

'_Faith. Praying to a deity until they have every little detail of that deity__'__s statue in their heads. Praying, until their faith has reached such a level that they believe they truly summon that deity,__'_ Jiraiya smiled gently when he saw Tayuya jump up and cheer when Genkuro landed a hit. '_I don'__t think Chiriku actually believes that though, the whole 'summon a god__' __thing. Perhaps that is why he is stronger than the rest of them. He knows, rather than just believing, while still having enough faith within himself to manifest that thousand armed kannon of his… He is the one who manifests it, using his chakra. It is his mind that gives it shape, his chakra that gives it substance. It is not the same as summoning a god. Or is it?__'_

Jiraiya began to doubt. He wondered if there actually were gods, or not. Nothing he ever witnessed had led to him becoming a 'believer.' The toads had shown him how the world worked, how natural chakra flowed through everything. It could be seen as the progenitor of life, the very fundament of the cycle of rebirth. All the physical energies came from it, and eventually returned to that same source again. But the spiritual energies, that was a completely different matter. Not even the toads had a clear-cut answer to that.

Much to Jiraiya's frustration, they had even refused to confirm whether or not people had a soul. 'Improve your mastery over natural chakra', they told him, after he asked them if they knew where people went after their deaths. Sure, there was the Shinigami, according to what little both Minato and Hiruzen had told him about the Shiki Fujin, but was that proof of the existence of gods? And that didn't even touch the issue of which temple, sect, or religion was actually right. Or if they were all right…

'_What does it even matter,__'_ Jiraiya sighed. '_People start fights over who knows the truth or not, but in the end our opinions change nothing. If gods exist, their existence would not be changed by something as trivial and fickle as our opinions. We would meet them when it is our time to meet them. But lunatics like from that cult of Jashin, those murderers, who have the sheer arrogance to proclaim that they speak for their god and murder everyone that they proclaim to be heretics... I don__'__t get it. These monks too, why do they need to show their beliefs by 'summoning__' __their objects of devotion? Isn__'__t their belief something that is inside their hearts, rather than a weapon they wield?__'_

He watched as Arata used his raw speed to evade Genkuro's hits. Still, Genkuro got closer and closer. '_This Arata too… if he was as convinced of his beliefs as he said he is, then why would he proudly proclaim that the gods answered his prayers and he is wielding a portion of their power?__'_

Jiraiya sighed. It made no sense to him. It never had, and he doubted that it never would. Faith was, to him, an act of believing rather than doubting. The desire to show their faith, like these monks, or like so many cultists which Jiraiya had seen through the decades, seemed to have little to do with faith. '_Saying that you__'__re closer to your god seems like the first step to saying that you are better than someone else. One day, one of these monks might get that idea- that their power is proof that they are blessed by the gods and that it gives them the divine right to do whatever they please... Ah well, fanaticism is an inevitable part of religion, I suppose. Small wonder why I could never figure out whether religion helps breaking the cycle of hatred, or actually adds to it. I suppose a true believer doesn__'__t need to rely on violence to enforce their beliefs on others,__'_ Jiraiya scratched his chin. '_Just like Chiriku. He seems to be completely at peace, much more balanced than this Arata-fellow.__'_

* * *

Unlike Jiraiya, Tayuya was too engaged by the fight to have any deep thoughts. Temari, on the other hand, could not stop thinking about whether or not she made a huge mistake in not telling Genkuro about the things they suspected. The problem was that he already seemed to be so frustrated by the things he could not (or could barely) remember, dreams he had, but could not comprehend. Often he just went out in the woods after he woke up in the morning, and Temari had found several spots where trees were viciously smashed to bits.

'_But by not telling, even if it is meant to protect him from more distress, am I placing him in a dangerous situation? I mean, if he really is Uzumaki Naruto, he would have some kind of connection with the Kyuubi. And everyone will be hunting for the Kyuubi, considering that it is rumored to be the strongest of all bijuu,__'_ but Temari did not think about her real reasons. She did not want to.

When she had given up hope, when she had embraced death with gratitude, it had been Genkuro who found her. She was ignored, shunned, hated… and then they had sold her off like they would do with the pelt of a desert-fox- using her as an object to strengthen a very shaky alliance. In the absence of the Ichibi, Suna had merely thought of saving their skins. The village could not resist Iwagakure, they were too weak. So, even though it was to a brute, they had happily sold her off.

Moreover, everyone aside from Chiyo and Kankuro had been glad that she would be gone. One nuisance less, the council had told her. After all, she was a sibling to the accursed demon who brought this war upon Sunagakure, or so they said. Naturally, those who shared the responsibility for the entire scheme had shoved the blame on Gaara and their father, and by proxy on Temari and Kankuro as well.

Showing lifelong loyalty to her village, despite the way she was treated, and this was her reward, Temari marveled. If Chiyo had not been there to stop it, she would have even been raped on the very day she was sold. But afterwards, no one cared. When she tried to resist being brought to Iwa for that very reason, the man who dragged her from her room had laughed at her: of course her new husband would try to 'take' her on the first opportunity he could get!

At that point, Temari had been wishing she could die, to perish before her pride would be broken, before she would be turned to a hunk of meat which that horrible man would use to produce children. A womb without a will, without a choice. She would rather die- and she had been so close… The day the Konoha anbu had ambushed her group, she nearly died. Then Genkuro saved her, the one ray of light in her dark life. Not just for shallow reasons like how hot he looked in his older form, no… she felt exactly the same way when he seemed to be a child.

And the fear of losing that light made her tremble.

What if he was angry at her when he found out the truth? Whether she told him or kept it from him, she was the sister of the one who killed him. She was there the day he and his team had perished, and had done nothing to save them. '_He would never forgive me for that.. He would just leave me behind, just like everyone else,__'_ she peeked at the redhead next to her. '_No, Tayuya is loyal to Genkuro. She treats me as a friend, I__'__m glad she does, but her heart is occupied by him. I can see it in her eyes. It makes it fun to tease her, but… If Genkuro abandons me, so will she. And I would be alone again. Hunted for my blood…__'_

If Genkuro left her behind, she would kill herself. She wouldn't have a reason to live, so why continue this endless torment which most people clung to so desperately? The world was a beautiful place, but in Temari's opinion there were too many humans in it. They were the devils who turned this lovely realm into a hell.

'_I was in an endless downwards spiral, where my life got worse and worse. Genkuro broke that cycle, but if he leaves me… __I don'__t want to sink any deeper. I can__'__t!__' _

* * *

With the use of his Jinsoku stance, Arata managed to evade Genkuro, but the longer the spar lasted, the harder the man started to pant. Genkuro certainly had a lot more reserves than the monk- which was why the monk was very surprised when Genkuro suddenly halted.

The fiery 'eyes' looked at the monk, and Genkuro's mouth twisted into a smirk. "Raigo: Shihai," he said. Wide-eyed, Arata was too shocked to even switch stances into a more defensive one before the wave of energy, roughly shaped like a fist, crashed into him. Arata quickly realized the gravity of that mistake.

What hit him was not a first-shaped mass of chakra, as the jutsu was meant to produce. Genkuro was not capable of generating chakra, after all. No, what he created was something else. And it was not even solidified. No, this fist was one of pure heat. It scorched his skin, making the monk cry out in pain.

Genkuro rapidly decided to cancel the attack, even though he had already prepared to unleash the barrage of fists that would follow the initial attack. Tilting his head, Genkuro tried to understand why Arata reacted so differently. He thought he had replicated the skill perfectly, but Arata's attack did not have an effect like his own. Not at all. '_I know I replicated the shape, but why… Is he really this fragile?__' _Genkuro knew his physical strength was unusual compared to others, but this was unexpected.

Temari and Tayuya quickly moved in, and when Jiraiya pulled away Arata's robes, he immediately decided to send out Temari to get a healer. Arata's entire chest was covered in burns. Sure, he could send out Tayuya, but she didn't get along that well with most of the monks. Her rude behavior was quite at odds with how the monks thought people should behave.

"What happened to him?" Genkuro wondered.

"Your attack burned him," Jiraiya frowned. '_Does he really not understand what he did?__'_

"He didn't know,' Tayuya confirmed, seeing that sannin look at her. "Genkuro, don't pull that kind of shit during spars. Experimenting on this kind of craziness is dangerous. You could've killed this baldy!"

"Sorry. I didn't mean to hurt Baldy-sensei."

Jiraiya focused on Arata. Not for the first time, he felt irked by his lacking knowledge of medical ninjutsu. Then again, he never felt Orochimaru's need to know all ninjutsu, and with Tsunade nearby Jiraiya had simply trusted in her ability to such a degree that he never interested himself in it. By the time their team had fallen apart, he was already strong enough that there were only few people capable of hurting him. Sure, he knew first aid, but these burns wouldn't be fixed by just a layer of bandages or medicinal herbs.

"I know you are not stupid, kid. The rate at which you learn is proof enough of showing how smart you actually are. Sure, you're not an academic or anything, but you don't need to be. Theory only has limited value to a shinobi, after all. But still… Your greatest problem is that you lack experience. So don't start to randomly experiment like this again, okay? At least, not when there are living beings nearby…"

"I won't, pervert-super," Genkuro nodded.

"It is super-pervert," Jiraiya sighed. "Seriously, when will the three of you ever learn…"

"What is a pervert?" Genkuro suddenly asked. Arata groaned from the pain his chest caused him, when he tried to laugh at that statement. Stoic monk or not, Jiraiya's expression was simply priceless; Genkuro's total innocence was like the complete opposite of Jiraiya.

"You don't need to learn that kind of shit just yet," Tayuya interfered, glaring at Jiraiya. As if it was his fault, Genkuro started to ask questions. The irony was that the one who taught him the dirtiest words was now glaring at the perverted hermit.

'_Who is the one sleeping in his bed, girly?__'_ Jiraiya would have liked to say. But he had encountered Tayuya's flute a few times before. Skilled as he may be, getting ensnared in her illusions had not been a pleasant experience. Ah well, at least it was better than getting hit with the blunt side of Temari's new nodachi.

She might be more used to her giant folding fan, but to facilitate abandoning her old fighting style from Sunagakure and adopting a less-recognizable weapon, Temari had been given this long sword by Chiriku. The curved single-edged blade of over thirty-five inches long did not offer the same level of 'air displacement' as the fan did, but the weapon worked perfectly when used for the more 'slashy-ier' attacks, as Genkuro had dubbed it. Of course, this only meant that Temari pinpointed her futon jutsu to one slash, rather than the large-scale devastating area-of-effect damage which her usual futon attacks had.

Seeing her splitting a group of trees in half had convinced Jiraiya had she was not the type of woman he should tease too much either. Blonde women were seemingly dangerous by default. "Ah well, at least I'm never getting bored with you three around," Jiraiya mumbled.

* * *

"Arata-sensei will recover quickly," Honen reported after Temari asked about the incident earlier that day. "But that was not why I was sent here."

"What is it this time, Baldy?" Tayuya yawned. Having just finished their meal, Jiraiya had been allowed to join the trio after a lot of eulogizing of Tayuya's cooking skills. Of course, this had given Temari a giant headache, after she had been tasked with explaining the expression 'ass-kisser' to Genkuro. His rather literal idea of the concept had been something Temari had gladly corrected.

'_She should really watch her mouth. Genkuro is definitely not stupid, but his lack of knowledge and his habit of taking words too literally are way too dangerous. What if he literally had kissed her ass?_' the blonde grimaced. "Why would Chiriku-sama ask for all four of us?"

"We have a guest," Honen shrugged. "I do not know the details either, but Bansai-sama and Tsutsumi-sama, the two other councillors, were rather agitated. Then again, Chiriku-sama is the one who had to decide about whether to accept her request or not."

"Ohhh, there's a woman involved?" Jiraiya's attention was suddenly piqued. Subtlety was never the man's strong point when women were concerned.

Honen closed his light-grey eyes and sighed. How could a shinobi as famous as Jiraiya be like _this_? "Yes, Jiraiya-sama, there is a lady who made a request with Chiriku-sama. But as I said, I do not know the details. I am merely acting as the messenger."

* * *

Chiriku frowned as he saw the blonde pacing around in his office. The visit of the priestess of Oni no Kuni was certainly unexpected, and her message was grave. But the impatience did not help anyone. Her attendant just stood there, patiently waiting until the people whom Chiriku had called for would arrive.

Then again, the blonde priestess did not really seem as dignified as Chiriku had expected. He had her stories about the priestess of Oni no Kuni, and his expectations had been… well, he had expected her to be older. Wiser.

The girl he saw had pale lavender eyes and light blond hair that fell past her waist. She had tied her hair at the end with a red bow. Not wearing her formal kimono, Shion wore a bra-like white top, with a mustard yellow jacket, which looked a bit big for her, and red pants. Again, it was not what Chiriku was expecting. Still, she confirmed to be who she said she was, and any monk knew better than just only judge people by their appearances.

'_Though, it is not just her appearance- it's the way she acts, so haughty and selfish,_' Chiriku wondered how such a person could hold such an important position. Then he recalled that her position was hereditary, unlike most of the other temples in their world.

After a short knock, Honen opened the door again. Stopping her impatient pacing, Shion looked at the bald young monk. His light grey eyes were intriguing, but otherwise he just seemed like a common peasant to her. Though, he was sent out by Chiriku earlier, so it was not Honen who was important. It was whoever he had brought with him.

Two young women stood behind him. Both seemed slightly older than she was. One was fairly tall, taller than Shion was, at least, and had a brighter shade of blonde hair. Her hair was tied into a single spiky ponytail. The other girl had red hair, light enough for it to almost pass for dark pink, and was smaller than Shion, if only by a few centimeters. While the blonde was slender, the redhead was more voluptuous. Well, it was not that she was blessed like Shion, when it came to her breasts, but the girl had certainly qualities that would draw the attention of males. Although the blonde's long legs would certainly draw a lot of looks as well. Actually, Shion was a bit jealous of those legs. Those legs were way better developed than the short ones Shion was born with.

Speaking of males, there were two of them following after the girls. In keeping with the girls clad in white kimonos, the right man, the one with the spiky blond hair, had white pants. Shion felt a bit uncomfortable when she noticed that those pants were all he wore. He did not even have shoes or sandals under his feet. It was his chest that embarrassed her though. He was muscular, almost wiry as he had a lean build, to a degree Shion had only seen with the blacksmith's apprentice at the temple last summer. He seemed to be someone who was used to heavy physical labor, although he did not have the air of a commoner at all. There was something very strange about him, something off that Shion could not define.

The other man was far less attractive. He was an old man, with long, wild, white hair. To Shion, he seemed almost like a vagabond. He seemed to be in his early fifties, but moved with a grace that screamed 'Shinobi' to her, even though she wasn't trained as such. Now that she thought about it, the two girls also seemed shinobi, and as such, Shion re-examined the fourth. Was the tall blond also a shinobi? She tried to figure out who he was, and the she saw…

Chiriku chuckled when he saw Shion gasp. "So you have seen Genkuro's eyes." It was no question, and Shion did not take it as such either. It was hard to deny. Although she berated herself for her lack of composure, she could not really blame herself for being surprised. After all, who could have expected the blond young man to have eyes of fire?

"Who are these four?" her voice was dismissive enough to make the redhead scowl.

"Oi, baldy, what is this blonde tramp doing in your office?" was Tayuya's less-than-subtle reply.

Temari sighed as she saw Tayuya piss off another person, as apparently, the haughty blonde did not take kindly to being called 'tramp'. '_Leave it to Tayuya to antagonize people on first sight. And she wonders why she has such a hard time making friends. Hell, she even calls me out for being distant…__'_

"Just shut it, Tayuya," she stopped the squabble from escalating. "Chiriku-sama, you called for us?"

"Ah, yes, though I was not aware Jiraiya-sama was with you as well."

Taruho looked surprised. "Jiraiya-sama? _The_ Jiraiya-sama? Of the Sannin?"

"The one and only," the white-haired man gave a wide grin, performing one of his exaggerated poses.

"Why does everyone know the pervert?" Genkuro wondered, looking at Temari. The latter was drawn out of her stupor when she saw Jiraiya's childlike enthusiasm vanish like snow under the sun.

"He is a very famous shinobi," Temari laughed. The entire day, Temari had barely smiled, but this situation just made it impossible for her not to laugh. "Even though you wouldn't say it, if you only judged him by his looks."

"You can say that again," Shion agreed. "Are you really sure this vagabond is such a famous shinobi, Taruho?"

"…harsh," Jiraiya whimpered.

"Yes, Shion-sama," the brown-haired man bowed. He had lost his black eboshi, leaving his unkempt hair uncovered. "Chiriku-sama, are these our gua-"

"I have no authority over either of these four," Chiriku's calm voice brought everyone's attention back to where it should be. "I can only request of them to aid you. As this is a matter outside Hi no Kuni, I cannot, formally, send out any of my monks. But if they agree to help you, I will send Honen with them. As their guard, his presence within your nation would not be a violation of any law or treaty. Nor would it agitate Konohagakure."

"I see," Taruho nodded. "Shion-sama, would you explain to them why we are here?"

"All they need to know is that they have to guard me. And remain quiet while doing it," Shion huffed, still incensed by Tayuya's earlier remark.

"Shion-sama…"

Jiraiya laughed, surprising the blonde priestess. "Shion, daughter of Miroku, priestess of Oni no Kuni, right? Didn't you guys have some issues with a demon, several years ago?"

Shion glared at the sannin, but he did not back down one inch. Goofing around was usually Jiraiya's forte, but right now he was all business. "How do you know about my mother?"

"I'm the spymaster, girly, so either you spill the beans, or we are not helping you."

"Who made you the boss?" Tayuya grumbled, even though she agreed with the man.

"Years ago, my mother sealed a demon named Moryo," Shion sighed. "Part of him was sealed in Numa no Kuni, while the other part was sealed within Oni no Kuni. After my mother died… I am the only one who can seal Moryo again."

"Someone broke the seal?" Jiraiya grimaced.

"Yes. There was a clan who cooperated with Moryo, aiming to conquer the world. They were thought to be extinct after Moryo was sealed, but apparently… Anyway, the bond between that accursed clan and the demon resulted in the creation of the Yureigun, the ghost army. It is an army of nigh invincible stone warriors, powered by the evil force of Moryo himself. If Moryo is brought back, he would take control of the army…"

"Dammit. Another threat in a world that's already on the brink of war," Jiraiya, uncharacteristically, cursed when he heard Shion's news. "So whoever is behind this, would be capable of destabilizing the entire world. We cannot allow both parts of the demon to reunite."

Everyone in the room agreed to that.

"What is a demon?" Genkuro suddenly asked.

"You're… you're kidding, right?" Taruho frowned. How could anyone living at a temple _not_ know what a demon was?

Genkuro shook his head, clueless as ever.

Temari just pinched the bridge of her nose, and sighed deeply. "We don't have time to explain that now, Genkuro, but the short explanation would be that a demon is an inhuman and evil entity who wishes to destroy everything."

"Correct," Jiraiya nodded. "But why are you two coming here? To stop that army, you would need an army of your own."

"The army has not shown itself yet," Taruho sighed. "Because of that, the other nations did not respond to our messages. They probably do not believe our claim."

"Fools," Shion huffed. "They are all fools if they think that they can just play around with their stupid wars, while ignoring Moryo."

"So, you need us to guard this tramp, before those lunatics can unseal both parts of the demon?" Tayuya summarized. "So, are we going to the swamps, or the Land of Demons? I vote for the latter."

"Tayuya, this isn't a laughing matter," Temari sighed once more. "Seriously, you are as childish as Genkuro…"

"Not my fault."

"You could at least pay attention."

"Why? As if those shit-heads could even do a thing once Flamey-kun arrives."

"…Flamey-kun? Seriously, Tayuya?" Temari deadpanned.

"Not the strongest nickname I invented, I admit, but it'll get better," the redhead gave a wide grin. One mimicked by Genkuro, who barely understood how painfully bad the nickname actually was. For effect, he even manipulated the flame from the candle on Chiriku's desk, while copying one of Jiraiya's worst poses.

"Who is he?" Shion finally asked what bothered her ever since she saw him. The fire in his eyes, his strange manipulation of fire, they made no sense to her. "_What_ is he?"

"Genkuro!" Genkuro laughed.

"It doesn't matter who he is," Temari interrupted. I would rather know why you came all the way here, rather than stay near the seal that holds the demon."

"Didn't you listen? There are shinobi who targeted my life. I am the only threat to their plans, so naturally they tried to eliminate me," Shion frowned, as if she truly could not comprehend if someone could be that dense. "My guards bought me enough time to get here safely, but now I need more capable protection."

"Is that any way to talk about the people who sacrificed themselves for your sake?" Temari wondered. "

"Shion-sama is the only one who is able to stop this situation," Taruho told. "Which is why we fled. But with a shinobi of Jiraiya-sama's quality, we should be able to stop this."

"What can I say, I'm just awesome!" Jiraiya grinned, when he saw Genkuro looking curiously at him. But he turned serious right after. "If this situation is as grave as I think it is, we have to move out quickly. We have to gather our things, so let's gather by the gates in one hour, okay?"

"Oi, who says we are going? That kind of high-profile mission is going to draw a lot of attention on us, you dumb fucktard," Tayuya growled.

"I told you before, you three can't keep hiding forever," Jiraiya sighed. "Besides, Genkuro needs to gather more experiences if he wishes to grow."

'_I don'__t want him to grow..__'_ Temari thought by herself. However, she did not speak up. She wasn't sure that she had the right to hinder his growth. Still, the idea that Genkuro would someday remember her part in his death saddened her. '_Then again, Jiraiya-sama had a very good argument about protecting Genkuro while he is still so unstable. I know I would have told him if I thought that he could deal with it__…' _Lost in thought, Temari nearly jumped out of her skin when Genkuro gently put a hand on her shoulder.

"Temari?" he asked, then added, "He is right."

"Eh? It is best for you, isn't it?" she smiled calmly, hiding her reluctance. Though he did seem to notice her discomfort, he trusted that she would not lie to him. He always trusted her. That knowledge made her feel even more miserable. '_Is it truly for his sake that I kept silent about his past, or am I just selfish?__' _Temari had been abandoned by everyone; she could not bear the idea of being abandoned yet again…

* * *

Genkuro was still pouting, something that amused Tayuya quite a bit. But the two girls had managed to finally get him dressed properly. It had taken them quite a lot of persuasion to get him to wear those white pants, but now they had finally succeeded to get him to wear a haori on top of it. The mid-length coat had long and wide sleeves, yet still Genkuro was constantly messing around with those sleeves. Tayuya could feel his discomfort through their mental link; apparently he felt trapped by that simple piece of white fabric. Though just for the sake of fun, Tayuya and Temari had added nine magatama around the collar. Well, in truth Genkuro only had four of those symbols on his back, Tayuya had found it more fitting to increase the number to nine, considering that he was the former host of the Kyuubi, or the Kyuubi himself. Whatever the hell Genkuro was supposed to be, Tayuya felt that the number was fitting.

What irked Genkuro most about his new garb, though, was the black sash that held the haori together. Even the strictest voice Temari could muster had barely made Genkuro listen.

'_He__'__s such a moron sometimes. He doesn__'__t have single issue sitting still while we wrap those locks of hair framing his_ _face in bandages, but he does nag about a stupid sash…__'_

Tayuya herself had chosen something easier to wear. Simple black calf-length trousers, along with a white shirt that hid a fitted mesh body armor underneath. Tayuya had also been lucky enough to find a hat, one quite similar to the one she used to have during her time in the Sound Four. Temari didn't know why the red-haired girl was so obsessed with hats, though Tayuya would say the same about the blonde's obsession with her ponytail.

Though, she always ended up tying it in the same single spiky ponytail, the one Tayuya usually pestered her about because it looked a lot like Guren's. The fact that the blonde didn't have a clue about Guren only made teasing her more fun for Tayuya. Curious people are easiest teased with the things that they do not know. Temari had picked a simple white short dress, on top of a fitted mesh body suit. Unlike Genkuro, who preferred walking around in bare feet, both girls had picked simple sandals.

Much as Genkuro was annoyed by his sash, Temari kept readjusting the straps that held her nodachi in place. The longsword hung on her back, but the straps that kept the sheath in place were still a bit too tight on her chest.

As the trio walked towards the temple's entrance, they noticed that Taruho and the priestess Shion were already waiting for them. Taruho shortly explained that they had sent out Honen to fetch Jiraiya.

"Oh great, I forgot that baldy was sent along to guard his precious 'Genkuro-sama'," Tayuya grumbled. "That Honen is no fun at all."

"You think all the monks are boring, Tayuya," Temari sighed. "At least Honen isn't as preachy as Arata…"

"He's still boring though. And Arata wasn't so bad after Genkuro scorched him," Tayuya laughed. Taruho paled, and even Shion, who seemed to be determined to show how she stood above this 'common rabble', suddenly paid attention.

"I said I was sorry," Genkuro moped. "I didn't want to hurt Baldie-sensei, I only tried to do what he did to me."

"And you nearly boiled him to death. Cheh, perhaps the old perv is actually right. Some experience would do you good. I pity the moron who would try to fight you though," the redhead snickered. She looked at the massive bronze gates. The statues of two Tengu stood as silent guards. When they entered, Honen had told them that it would take at least one fully trained monk to open the doors in its entirety. Well, that was before Genkuro had just pushed them open like it was nothing special. 'It takes another kind of warmth.' was his explanation then, when the baffled young monk had gawked at him.

It was much like how Taruho and Shion ogled him now, when he impatiently just barged through the gates, claiming that he wanted to see if Jiraiya and Honen had been waiting on the other side.

"Don't ask, he's just a special case," Temari didn't bother to explain any more. Frankly, she didn't like Shion enough to even want to make any effort at clarifying his situation.

"He certainly is special," a calm voice sounded. A pale monk in training walked towards the group. Well… 'walked' would be an exaggeration. He limped. With his left leg still tightly wrapped in bandages, the black haired boy used crutches to move around. "I must admit that I did not know there were guests in the temple," he smiled. Though, Temari shivered when she heard him talk. Perhaps it was natural to be curious about a person who effortlessly opened up gates which were designed to be practically impenetrable, but something about the boy unnerved her.

And apparently not just her. "Who are you?" Shion demanded.

"My apologies, priestess, my name is Sai," the boy bowed slightly, as much as his injured condition allowed him. "Though, I am merely a monk in training, so my name is not of any importance."

Tayuya played with her flute. She noticed that something was off about him. Actually, his pale skin and weirdly emotionless expression reminded her of the man she feared more than anything. Orochimaru. '_It is too soon. He could not have taken a younger body already, could he? He would have needed more time before his new host would be ready, and he could shed his current host…__'_

Still, she kept her flute at the ready. If this guy tried _anything_, she would act.

"Out of curiosity, might I ask what you are going to do?"

"Not really your business, is it, Whitey?" Tayuya did not bother to hide her animosity like Temari did. "Why the fuck are you so damn curious?"

"I suppose being polite with you is a waste of time," Sai still kept that not-so-convincing smile plastered on his face. "Though I suppose that should be expected…"

Genkuro picked that moment to return. Obviously, Honen and Jiraiya had not been waiting on the other side of the gates. With him being as patient as ever (not), he had quickly given up on his search. Temari, however, did not like it how Sai looked at the taller blond. While all the monks, especially the younger ones, had shown their interest in what they had thought to be the incarnation of a fire god, this pale boy's interest was of a calculating nature, not a reverent one.

Surprising Temari, Genkuro for once was not unaware of these tensions. In fact, his demeanor towards Sai was quickly put in words he undoubtedly learned from a certain foul-mouthed redhead: "Screw off."

"…what?" for the first time, Sai actually showed surprise, which was then followed by a shivering Temari could not understand.

"You are too cold. Leave, now."

"Oi, no need to be _that_ rude, shithead."

"Really, Tayuya?" Temari sighed. "You of all people talk about rudeness?"

"Well, he ain't me, right?"

Genkuro ignored the two girls though. He just kept staring at Sai. Well, it was not that it could really be seen that he looked at Sai, considering his unusual eyes, but somehow everyone there knew exactly where he was looking- and the look was absolutely not friendly.

Knowing that this was a situation he could not salvage, Sai simply bowed and left. Although his smile was still firmly in place, Tayuya swore to herself that she saw the boy sweating. Having once been an opponent of Genkuro herself, she could not exactly blame him. '_It is weird that Genkuro is this hostile though. Sure, this pale piece of shit is a rather unpleasant type of guy, but for him to react like this__…'_

Tayuya shrugged it off when she saw Sai walk away. A mere monk in training was no threat to them, she believed. "Ah well, at least our flamer has stopped messing with his sash," Tayuya chuckled. He looked at bit surprised. "Yeah, moron, you don't see Temari making such a fuss about her sash, do you?"

He shook his head.

"Then stop making such a big deal about it. Hell, you've got to wear something. Or do you want walk around nude?"

"What is the difference," Genkuro shrugged.

"People. Wear. Clothes," she tapped him on his chest with every word she spoke. "Deal. With. It."

Shion looked from Tayuya to Genkuro, and then from Taruho to Temari. "Is he mentally retarded?"

"He lost his memory," Temari sighed. "He still has to adjust to… well, everything."

"But he didn't… He was naked all the time?" Shion couldn't help but blush a little at the idea.

"Wasn't a bad sight indeed," Tayuya noticed the slightly flustered priestess and decided to make things worse for her. "He might be a childish idiot, but he does have the right _tools_, doesn't he, Temari? Not too big, not too small. Just perfect.."

"Tayuya, behave," Temari grumbled, although a faint blush of her own contradicted the firm tone of her speech.

"Tools? I didn't have tools," Genkuro frowned, totally missing the point.

"And as usual he fails to understand what I mean. He's so cute when he's clueless," Tayuya laughed. Shion's confusion was too funny for her. _'She tries to act all superior and priestess-y, but she__'__s actually not so bad, is she? And by the looks of it, she has never been close to guys either… this trip could be more fun than I expected. Perhaps I should try to use Genkuro to prank her?__'_

Sai had barely closed the door of the main building behind him when Honen and Jiraiya walked down the path. Jiraiya was talking away, while Honen did not seem to know how to respond. Or if. But when Temari heard the words 'Icha Icha' from a distance, she facepalmed. "Let's hit the road."

Taruho kneeled, letting Shion on to his back.

"What the fuck is this?" Tayuya watched with growing surprise when Taruho carried the priestess. "Does our little princess not know how to walk?" she mocked.

"Shion-sama was not trained as a shinobi. We move faster when I carry her."

"Tsk. Typical. Spoiled brats…"

Shion huffed and looked the other way. In a moment of surprising insight, Genkuro walked towards Tayuya and kneeled in front of her. "Carry?"

Her eye twitching, Tayuya actually needed a second to convince herself not to say yes. But after just having made fun of Shion, she couldn't accept his offer without losing face. And the wide goofy grin that was plastered on Genkuro's face made it painfully obvious to her that he knew that. So she smacked him on the head. "The hell I am! I'm not some lazy spoiled moron who needs to be carried. I'm a frickin' badass kunoichi," she boasted.

'_It would be boring if I always stay the responsible one, right? Ah well, who cares,_' Tayuya and Genkuro both stood tongue-tied when Temari walked to the still-kneeling Genkuro. "Well, if you refuse, I'll accept it," she smirked at the redhead. '_I guess I was sort-of a princess anyway.__'_

"Oi, wait a-"

But Tayuya was too late. And too perplexed to properly protest, as well. As Temari embraced the blond from behind, Genkuro mimicked Taruho by holding Temari's legs, so that Temari would be firmly in place when Genkuro would start running. Firmly pressed against his back, Temari could enjoy the comforting warmth that Genkuro always radiated.

With a large drop of sweat adorning his face, and a few drops of blood underneath his nose, Jiraiya wondered what the hell was going on. But he knew from experience that remaining silent about it was the best solution- the least painful solution, at least. "Whatever, ready to go?" he tried to salvage the situation. Which could have worked, if not for Temari sticking out her tongue against Tayuya…

Jiraiya went through the gates. With Taruho not being a shinobi, and Genkuro being unable to gather his chakra, they would have to move on the ground rather than through the tree-tops. It was a slower method, but escort missions were usually slow anyway. He looked at the two bickering girls, as Tayuya still couldn't accept her 'loss', and shook his head. "This is going to be long trip, Honen…"

"A very long one, Jiraiya-sama," the bald young monk sighed deeply.

"I wonder how the priestess will react when she finds out about their sleeping arrangements though," Jiraiya donned his infamous perverted smile. "I bet she would quickly join them."

"Please don't make this any worse, Jiraiya-sama…"

"Fine, I'll try to behave," Jiraiya sighed. "By the way, do you want something for that nose of yours? You're losing quite a lot of blood at this rate."

* * *

Minutes after the group had departed from the temple, a flock of odd ink-black birds left the room of a certain young monk in training. It did not take long before the Godaime Hokage of Konohagakure received an interesting message from his infiltrator… that two high-profile targets would move through Hi no Kuni. Eliminating the princess of Sunagakure was something that stood high up in his list of priorities, as it would permanently destroy the threat of an alliance between Iwagakure and Sunagakure, Danzo considered. Even though she could potentially give access to the kekkei genkai which her father and younger brother had possessed, she was too dangerous to keep around. With Temari missing, the symbol of the treaty was gone. But if she would resurface…

At the same time, removing the presumed-missing kunoichi of Otogakure made it to the top of that same list, as Danzo saw her as a threat due to her knowledge of his secret dealings with Orochimaru. In other words: those two had to die. Danzo looked at the document, and could not help but scowl, '_Sai provided useful information, but why is the data so incomplete… '_

_Tatsuma__'__s team is the only Root-operative available right now, apart from my personal guard, and he leads a squad with two regular anbu. But if what Sai noted is correct, those girls are accompanied by someone capable of taking on such a squad. But what does he mean by 'an unclassified fire-based kekkei genkai?' And that remark on not being able to measure his chakra… I think I should re-evaluate his training once his mission is completed.__' _Danzo felt annoyed by the unusually high number of unknown variables, even for his line of work, but there was no time to gather additional information. He needed to strike now, before the trio moved out of Hi no Kuni.

It was just bad luck that the border patrols on that side of the nation were already stretched thin. Guarding the borders with Kumo and Iwa certainly had high priority, and Danzo had too few of his own trusted men at hand on such short notice.

"I will have to use my backup. It will be a good test of whether Shisui's eye is indeed strong enough to manipulate him," Danzo mumbled to himself. If his hidden guards heard anything, they did not show it. Danzo still felt irked that he could not just keep his office down in the Root facilities. '_It was a stroke of luck that I could cast that genjutsu on a man of his calibre. Still, I have no doubts that a sennin like him will eventually break the Kotoamatsukami.__'_

But if things went according to plan, and the Ichibi would reform and be sealed once more, then Otogakure would not be a threat anymore. Surely Danzo would have enough firepower to subdue the treacherous Snake, and capture the last known Uzumaki whom the man thought he had hidden so well.

It would be direct orders accompanied with a blood seal. Not even the infamous sennin would be able to cast this aside. Orochimaru would have no choice but to eliminate them all.

* * *

_Author's notes_:

* * *

Well now… This update took way longer than I anticipated. The short explanation being that I wasn't satisfied with where I was going with Pareidolia. The long one being that I got bored by my original plans, to the point where I even considered dropping the story. And judging by the lower number of reviews the previous chapter generated, so did you. So, I threw away the rudimentary planning, rewrote this chapter, and wrote a new outline. Hopefully this will satisfy both you and me. After all, it's more fun writing when you know people appreciate what you're doing. So please review this time, and share your thoughts!

Is this Shion mission filler? Hell no. I'm going to do something crazy with it. And this was the original purpose of Pareidolia: an outlet for my creative insanity. To create a story in which nothing is what it seemed to be.

Credits to my beta **Illuminated** for providing the idea of adding Sai to the story, it really fits with the reformed planning! Anyway, thank you all for your patience. While The Honoured Guest is my 'main' story, it baffles me that Pareidolia got this popular. It's already approaching 1.000 followers! I can't say that I understand how it happened so quickly, but thank you all!

Next chapter: **Hatred**.

* * *

-Z-

* * *

**Sai**

His true name unknown, this boy was given the codename 'Sai' by his master, Shimura Danzo. The pale young man received the standard Root training, removing every shred of emotion he had. His origins unknown, being orphaned before he was recruited into Root, Sai showed an unusual talent in ninjutsu. As such, Danzo valued him as an infiltrator.

Gender: male  
Age: 16  
Height: 172.1 cm  
Weight: 53.3 kg  
Blood type: A

Ninjutsu: 4  
Taijutsu: 3.5  
Genjutsu: 3  
Intelligence: 3.5  
Strength: 3  
Speed: 3.5  
Stamina: 3.5  
Hand seals: 4

Total: 27.5

Note: As part of a three man unit, Sai infiltrated the Fire Temple in order for Konoha to take the pseudo-jinchuriki Sora. When this attempt at kidnapping Sora failed, the trio realized that their cover was blown. Still, as they were not sure at that time whether Sora would survive his injuries or not, they realized one of them would have to stay behind. In order to remove the suspicion from him, the other two infiltrators injured Sai, as none who had seen him had survived the encounter. Believing he was merely an innocent bystander, the monks took him to the infirmary, where Sai got stuck for nearly a month. Sai thought for a while that his decision to stay behind was fruitless, considering that his target had perished. But using his chakra-infused ink, Sai still managed to provide useful information to his master…

**Arata**

Like many of the young boys who grew up in the temple, Arata was an orphan of unknown origin. Presumably, his family died during fights near the border of the Land of Hot Water (Yu no Kuni). A travelling monk found the nearly starved boy, and took him along. Ever since, Arata has pledged his life to the Fire Temple.

Gender: male  
Age: 37  
Height: 165.1 cm  
Weight: 57.1 kg  
Blood type: AB

Ninjutsu: 3  
Taijutsu: 4.5  
Genjutsu: 3  
Intelligence: 4  
Strength: 2  
Speed: 4  
Stamina: 2.5  
Hand seals: 3

Total: 26

Notes: Arata is a full-fledged monk, and has earned the third rank of his training with his hard work and diligence. His mastery of the temple's taijutsu style, combined with the Senzoku no Sai, is great enough to use the raigo.

**Jutsu and translations**

_Raigo: Shihai_ = welcoming approach: domination. Immobilizing the opponent by striking him with a massive fist; more advanced users can create multiple fits and create a continuous attack, among the more basic skills of the Raigo.


	11. Hatred

**Pareidolia**

* * *

**Chapter eleven**

**Hatred**

* * *

"_Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that."_

― Martin Luther King Jr.

* * *

They had made a lot of ground during the day, and she was more than glad that their taicho had decided to take a break. Resting on the riverside, she unwrapped her feet and disposed of her now rather smelly sandals. The mask was great, but the anbu outfit was not really her first choice of clothing- but it came with the job.

"Ahhh," contently, she let her heated feet slip into the water. Aburame Tatsuma, their taicho, was gathering food. They didn't protest, though she swore she would check her food for any residual bugs. Their leader was the typical silent Aburame. He could barely be seen, as he sported the same style of clothing as the rest of their clan, including the dark sunglasses. He wore this despite his position as one of the Root anbu, their Godaime's elite corps. Then again, with that black hooded cloak, it was practically impossible to distinguish him from any other Aburame. Well, the blue marking on his left cheek was unique, she had to give him that.

'_Perhaps we made a mistake when we accepted this position in the anbu. Perhaps Lee and Gai-sensei were right. But… Danzo-sama was elected as our Hokage, how are we supposed to doubt him in this time of war?'_ Tenten sighed, and leaned backwards while kicking her feet in the water. Even Neji had admitted that he missed their goofy teammate and their sensei. But like her, he had thought that their position within the anbu would give them a better shot at improving the world around them. Besides, it was their duty to the village.

But what had they achieved? It had been two years since their world changed. The Sandaime died, and team seven perished too. Lee had taken quite a hit when he learned that Haruno Sakura died, just as Neji had been unexpectedly troubled by Uzumaki Naruto's demise. Tenten had been baffled by their reactions, as she had dismissed Lee's infatuation as shallow and fleeting at first. Sadly, it was not. Though still goofy as ever, Lee had shown a more thoughtful side after Sakura's death- and doubled his training intensity, if possible, as he proclaimed he would never allow people as bright and beautiful as Sakura to get killed.

Neji, however, had stated that his life was changed by Naruto. The little blond loudmouth had beaten the Hyuga, but it had not been the physical defeat which had weighed on Neji. No, he admitted that his eyes had been opened by what Naruto had said. He had changed his way, and became a bit easier to approach, and toned down his arrogance a lot.

Unfortunately for them, the election of the Godaime Hokage had not done them any good. For some reason which Tenten couldn't figure out, the four sensei were all very tense whenever Shimura Danzo was discussed. It didn't seem that they were openly rebellious, but the jonin council did not seem to have much faith in their new Hokage. Perhaps this was why Gai had been so disappointed when Neji and Tenten had accepted a position within the anbu corps, thus showing that they had sided with the Hokage. But for the two of them, the past was the past. Neji had a point when he said that people never get any better by lingering in that past. All they could do now was move on and walk towards their fates.

In addition, as part of Gai's team, they had only got lackluster missions whenever there were no skirmishes at the borders or open war with Sunagakure. Tenten and Neji wanted to mean something to their village, and as an anbu, they would have meaning. However, Tenten suspected that Neji also did it to move himself further from his clan's authority. But the shady circumstances of the sudden disappearance of Hinata seemed to justify his distrust.

"Tenten, Tatsuma-taicho is coming back," the Hyuga disturbed her impromptu pediluvium session. The girl sighed, but knew that missions were more important than footbaths, no matter how nice the latter were.

"Hyuga-san, Tenten-san," Aburame Tatsuma appeared as Neji had warned. "It is time to discuss our real mission."

"Real mission?" Neji frowned. "Weren't we supposed to find and capture a rogue genin?"

"The real mission was classified," Tatsuma held up two pictures. Tenten immediately recognized the blonde girl on the left image.

"Her!"

"These are our targets," the Aburame continued as if he wasn't interrupted at all. "Temari of Sunagakure is someone that you two know from your Chunin Exams, and the redhead is a traitor from Otogakure. Both targets are to be eliminated. There is, however, an unknown third shinobi with them, which is why we are waiting for reinforcements."

"I thought Temari of the sands had died a while ago," Neji mused aloud. "She was married off to Iwagakure as a symbol for their alliance. Her disappearance sparked another series of conflicts in which the alliance of Iwa and Suna was undone."

"That is why she must be eliminated. Why you ask? Because Godaime-sama wants to remove any possibility of those two villages rekindling their bonds and unite against Konoha."

"I see.. Then who are our reinforcements?" Neji frowned. "Judging by the data, Temari and this Tayuya should not pose much of a threat to the three of us. Is this third person that strong?"

"It is… unknown," Tatsuma never showed much emotion, but this hesitation made many things clear to Neji, and to a lesser extent also Tenten, who was not gifted with the byakugan. "The information sent by our spy suggested that he might be physically very strong, and that he has an unusual affinity for katon jutsu. Countering the physical ability is the reason why you are here, Hyuga-san."

"Understood."

"As for our reinforcements, they should arrive in this area tomorrow morning."

"Which squad did Godaime-sama send?" Tenten wondered.

"You are missing the larger picture here, Tenten-san," Tatsuma sighed. This uncalled outburst, for an Aburame, of emotion only emphasized how unnerved the man was. Something about this mission did not suit him at all. "An alliance between Iwa and Suna would not just form a problem for us. Otogakure, too, would face overwhelming odds. And with one of their own being at the scene as well, they sent out a delegation at the request of Godaime-sama."

"Oto?" Neji did not hide his disgust. Then again, this was part of the reason why Tatsuma didn't like this mission that much: this was way too high-level for a couple of fresh recruits like Neji and Tenten. They hadn't even gone through the last stages of their training, and yet Danzo had sent them. But there was no abundance of capable personnel who could execute this mission right away, and some of the jonin who were available were not trustworthy enough for such a delicate situation.

"Orochimaru and one of his henchmen will join our attack. Therefore, I had to tell you. Why you ask? If I had not told you in advance, either of you could have made unadvisable moves against our temporary allies."

"Working with Orochimaru? What is-"

"Tenten!" Neji cut her off before she could say anything which could be interpreted as treasonous. "We know what to do, taicho, thank you for your warning."

The Aburame nodded ever so slightly, turned, and left after stating that he would take first watch.

* * *

"Insufferable peasant."

Temari got another headache. The constant bickering between Shion and Tayuya annoyed her from day one, but things were getting worse ever since Shion had gotten a splinter. To say that the spoiled priestess was a complete opposite from a hardy shinobi like Tayuya was an understatement.

Even Genkuro seemed affected, although it could also be that he was restless due to something else.

"Why did you treat that pale monk so harshly, Genkuro-kun?" Temari tried to get him to talk. She knew that if Genkuro was talking, Tayuya would at least shift her attention away from the spoiled priestess.

"Good people don't feel cold like that," was all she got out of him, before he turned away. Temari sighed.

"What is bothering you? You know you can tell me, right?" When he had looked like a child, she had tried her best to make him smarter, but now she wished he just acted like a baby again, and came to her with his every problem. Times were much easier back then, when it had been just the two of them.

His face turned towards her, the flaming orbs acting as his eyes seemed like bottomless pits. For some reason, he seemed saddened. "Dreams..."

Yes, he was rather restless at night, and they would know. If only to annoy the prudish Shion even further, Tayuya insisted they kept the same 'sleeping arrangements' as usual, despite camping out in the open. And considering how Genkuro didn't oppose, and Temari hated to lose to the redhead… Well, Honen protested, but that was all the young monk did so far. He was all bark, no bite. Shion huffed, and kept out of it, and Taruho seemed used to not questioning strange decisions in his vicinity.

Only Jiraiya openly supported them, but that was actually the thing which annoyed the girls most. His lecherous grins, his constant scribbling in his notebooks…

"Let's call it a day, we've got plenty of ground to cover tomorrow," Honen stated, before he crawled into the tent he shared with Taruho. "I've had all I can take with your immoral behavior."

"Immoral?" Tayuya scoffed. "There's nothing wrong with what we do. It's just that you are such a closet pervert, which is why you are making an issue of it."

"Closet pervert?" was Honen's indignant response.

"Yeah, the three of us are just sleeping in one tent. Just because you're a pervert, doesn't mean we take advantage of poor innocent Genkuro-kun."

Honen chose to flee from the discussion he wouldn't win, and closed the flap of the tent- an act which made Jiraiya snicker.

"Shut it, you are the worst of the lot. Although, you are barely better than our spoiled priestess who can't stop blushing whenever Genkuro shows a bit of skin," Tayuya just managed to say before Temari dragged her into their tent.

Clueless, Genkuro looked from the agitated priestess, the loudly laughing toad sage, to the blankly staring Taruho. Unable to form a consensus from the various thoughts he had regarding their little ragtag group, Genkuro just shrugged and followed the girls. The world was a strange place to one who doesn't understand it. In spite of his young-adult appearance he wasn't even a year old, by all accounts, so he'd understand this 'social behavior' thing eventually, he hoped.

But why were some people cold and the others warm? Why did the presence of those two girls comfort him, why did they make _him_ feel warm? Was it emotions? Everything in this world was connected, Genkuro could see that, as clear as day. Everyone seemed to be a collection of energy, encapsulated and solidified by their physical forms. One had much of this energy, like Jiraiya, while another had only very little of it, like Taruho. One felt warm and pleasant, like Temari, another felt cold and distant, like that monk named Sai at the gates of the temple. While Sai wasn't physically different from others, his warmth did feel different from others. It wasn't like he was angry or anything, it was just… nothing. His emotions, they were an empty void.

Humans were strange. And yet, within this web of endless variation, people tried to see patterns. Even when those patterns weren't there. For instance, Temari had once explained to him why males and females were different. Yet, Genkuro could not see the difference. Sure, there was a structural difference, as there were inherent differences between the bodies of a man or woman. But both contained the same energy. Both emitted warmth.

In his eyes, everything was different and therefore equal. Amounts differed, but it was inconsequential. An animal had less warmth, yet the same right to exist as a human, just like plants and trees. It was also why Genkuro couldn't understand the point about 'killing' with Temari kept making. Whether he drew warmth from a tree, an animal, or a human being… there was no difference to him.

He merely followed his instincts. And as a newborn, he needed to consume energy to grow.

Did he really not discriminate in whom he took that energy from? Well, ever since he first met Temari he had that weird sense of recognition. She felt familiar, so he spared her, as she made him curious. The curiosity had grown into the strange bond they had today. Genkuro would never allow anyone to harm her existence. Her energy, her warmth, they were crucial to the continuation of her life. And without her, he knew he would fall back to his previous state, where everything was boring, when nothing mattered.

In a way, he had always known he was alone. He knew that there was nothing in the world like him. At nights, he had stretched his senses as far he could, to the point where he would risk his warmth dissipating, but never had he found anything which was even remotely alike. Temari had relieved him from that loneliness. She had taught him, cared for him, and made him feel alive.

And when they met Tayuya, that loneliness he once had felt had shrunk even further. Through experiencing her memories, he had learned so much. And still… there had been so much suffering, so much pointless acts of hatred, that it had left him confused. He knew that he had rescued Tayuya from the deepest pits of despair. He knew she was grateful, but as she snuggled up against him, trying to catch sleep, he wondered what her emotions meant.

There were so many of them. There were warm ones, like when she squabbled around with Temari, or when she was near him, but also plenty of cold ones... perhaps this was a consequence of her need to restore her own memories. The drugs and the cursed seal had erased much, but none of it was truly lost. In the vast hall of mirrors which formed her memories, she needed but to repair the ones which were broken. But whenever she shivered, he knew she learned something of the darkness she went through.

Honen told him that he could only sleep with one woman. Genkuro did not know why. As much as he valued Temari, so did he feel the urge to protect Tayuya. She was strong, something he knew better than anyone. A weak person would not have been able to endure what she endured. She could fend for herself. And yet, he knew that she was vulnerable. Who wouldn't be, after what she experienced? The experiments, the training, the horrible missions she executed, it would be enough to break most people. Most people, but not her, it turned out. Still, it left scars, which still brought a vicious pain.

While none connected as strongly to him as Tayuya did, upon every touch Genkuro could get a faint impression of what someone felt. While some, like Jiraiya, experienced a lot of grief, the vast majority did not. Shion, Taruho, or Honen, they all knew pain to some degree, but would not understand what Tayuya went through. Jiraiya would, but he hid himself behind that goofy mask. Only Temari… but she had her own demons to face. At nights, he felt her fear. But unlike with Tayuya, he never experienced her memories. He didn't understand Temari to that level, so how could he help her? All he could do was to send his own warmth to her, in an attempt to ease her pain. And both girls enjoyed sharing a bed because of the warmth he radiated. The comfort he offered. Tayuya even claimed she couldn't sleep without him, on that one evening he returned home late.

As he tried to get to sleep, flanked by the two people he valued above all, Genkuro began to wonder if _he_ actually understood either of them. What had he experienced, that he could say that he understood them? There was no way he could interpret their emotions and experiences, if he did not know anything of himself. Who was he? What was he? Those were questions nearly everyone he met had asked him, yet for almost the first time he began to wonder what the answers to those questions were.

His dreams, those were key. Those vivid dreams, in which he saw things in such detail, experiencing things from a point of view that was him-and-yet-not-him: Tall and small, young and old, healthy and sick, recovering or wounded. There were so many different dreams...

If Tayuya had such a vast hall of mirrors, how huge would his own be? If Tayuya's shattered mirrors represented memories which she couldn't recall, how many shards would he have in his mind? He wanted to sleep. He wanted to see, to dream, to know who he was. Even if they hurt, he wanted to touch those shards. It frustrated him. He… He needed to…

With Tayuya cuddling up to his right, and Temari resting with her blonde head on his left arm, Genkuro had drowsily drifted into the darkness of his sleep.

* * *

_Surrounded by trees, he saw three poles. This was a familiar place. It was a training ground from which he had good memories, but those good memories were of no importance now. He was anxious, scared even, of something that he had to do. He was afraid to fail, afraid to confirm all the mistrust people held against him. He craved for acceptance, but feared he'd never get it if he lost. It was his one shot, his first shot, at acknowledgement. The enormity of the situation overwhelmed him. He didn't want to be a failure anymore, but his opponent… _

_His body was small, like that of a child, but surprisingly sturdy. It brimmed with energy, but he knew that part of that power was not his own. It was borrowed power, power leaking from a much stronger entity. _

_But he wasn't alone. A girl, about the same age as him, was standing in front of him. Well, in front… She was mostly hiding, only one of her pale eyes peeking around the pole to look at him. Her hair was dark blue, her skin fair, and her face was gentle, albeit more than a little shy. Apparently he startled her while she was training. _

"_You're alright now?" he asked._

_She said a name, stuttering over her own words, but he couldn't hear. He was confused about why she was there. The thoughts in his head were filled with concern about her, wondering why she wasn't in a place called 'hospital'. At the same time, seeing her bandages made him lose some of his uncertainty. He remembered how she got injured, who had done it. But why couldn't he hear this name she stuttered?_

"_Why… Why are you here? Ehm… Isn't t-today the finals..." the girl spoke a little louder, though still barely audible. _

"_Well.. I just came to check out this practice field, since this is the place I became a genin..." he felt himself say with a faked confidence. _

"_O... oh. Why?"_

_He didn't know what to say. He doubted himself, and everything, at this moment. Here she was asking him questions, any other day he would be elated that someone showed interest in him, but today... "Nothing! Who cares?!" Today. he kept his façade of fake bravado up._

_It seemed to destroy what little confidence the girl had, making him feel guilty, but at the same time he didn't know how he was supposed to act. Always, he acted, as he knew that no one was interested in him, he tried to act in a way to get people to show interest. But when she even apologized to him, (seriously, the number of people who ever apologized to him could be counted with the fingers of one hand) he broke. After all, he felt some sort of admiration for the determination the girl had shown before, in her fight. He had seen her pain, and felt like he could relate._

_Perhaps he should stop expecting the worst?_

_With a deep sigh, he dropped his façade, confusing the girl. Obviously, she paid close attention, though it eluded him why she did that. But when he asked her about one of her relatives – why couldn't he hear names? This was his freaking dream, so why were some things blanked out? – she seemed to get depressed once again._

"_He's strong, right?" this relative of hers was someone he had to fight. The one whom he was afraid of. No… he wasn't afraid of that guy, but rather afraid of the possibility he would lose in front of the entire village. He wasn't afraid, but did know he was strong, knew that there was a huge possibility that he would..._

"_B-but you might be able to beat him, Na-"_

_He laughed loudly, cutting her off before she could finish her sentence, but even to his own ears the laughter sounded hollow. "Yeah! I'm really strong!"_

_He continued to chuckle, although he was beating himself up inwardly, as he knew he had acted like a moron again. Then again, why did she say such things? Why did she ask? No one cared about what happened to him. The only times people paid attention were when he pulled pranks. Otherwise, he was a pariah. _

_In the dead silence which followed, he immediately dropped his façade again. He didn't know when he had pulled it up again. It was a stupid automatism, and even he considered it rude to act like this in front of her. Then again, he couldn't figure her out at all. Why was she asking?_

"_Oh... Umm..." she hesitated, but stepped a little the right, hiding less of herself behind that pole. Fidgeting with her index fingers, looking everywhere but at him, she continued. "W-when you cheered for me… I felt like I had become s-stronger… After the prelims ended, I started linking myself a little more..." _

_He felt himself freezing up. He had that effect on someone else? Sure, he had been mad when she got injured in her match, and impressed by her determination, but… What was it that he felt? Embarrassment? Was he shy? He was never like that. Then again, no one ever spoke like that to him. Plus, he had not dropped his façade like that in many years. And yet this girl..._

_Apparently his amazement was visible, as the pale-eyed girl started to fidget more and more. "To other people it may not seem like I changed, but… I… I felt like I was able to change... It was all thanks to you. I think."_

"_Ahhh! Thanks to me, eh?" what was he doing? Why was he acting like a confident moron again? When had his façade slipped back on? Stop! Stop, before you mess things up again! "Yeah, I'm very influential!" Too late. He had done it again. Idiot. His laughter died in his mouth, and he sighed once more. "Hey, did you… did you really think that?" it had to be a lie. She had to be lying to him. No one would ever think about him like that, it was impossible._

"_Huh?" the girl seemed distressed, as if she expected rejection from him, rather than the other way around. Before he asked his question, she seemed to become a little more confident, but when asked… He wondered how it could be that a girl of her lineage could have so little confidence in herself. Of a hated orphan it was to be expected, but from someone of the strongest clan in the village? She was practically royalty! It didn't make sense to him. That one question broke what little determination she had. She was of high birth, and yet…_

_Why did he have the feeling he could relate to her? She was exactly like him, wasn't she? Should he stop pretending? Why the hell not, why not trust her. If she laughed at him like all the others did, then so be it. But for some reason he knew she wouldn't._

"_I may appear strong to you but… that's because I act all tough because I'm so frustrated from always failing," he admitted, showing how dejected he truly was. "I-"_

"_That's not true.." the shy girl suddenly cut him off. She even smiled a bit. "In my eyes, you're a proud failure!"_

_Wait, what? She… was she complimenting him? Or making fun of him? He hated the complicated stuff, he could never figure out what others meant. Whether it was his clueless expression, or that she suddenly realized what she had just said to him, she tried to hide behind the pole once again, fidgeting as much as she blushed. "When I look at you I get an intense feeling in my heart…" her voice shrunk to a volume at where he could barely hear her. "Because you're not perfect.. Because when you fail, you have the strength to get back up… Because I believe that is what true strength is… I… I think you are an incredibly strong person, Naru-"_

_The entire environment shifted. The little girl who had amazed him so much, who had nearly moved him to tears, vanished like smoke in the wind. The trees, the poles, everything was gone. In a dreary dark night, a silhouette stood in front of him. It was a grown man with glowing red eyes, staring at him with an intense hatred. Those eyes were unlike any had had seen from him before. Three large tomoe with circles at their tops overlapping each other at the bottoms and encircling the pupil. These eyes stared at him. _

_The vision shifted again. There was an excruciating pain, and a man stood in front of him, holding the spear that pierced his chest. His own sword had sliced open the man's stomach, showing his intestines to the world. The man stared at him with anger, his red eyes had three-tomoe, but reverted to its usual black color before the light of his life left him._

_Red eyes, red eyes, so many red eyes. He knew their names. He knew he had known. He had to know. They were an object of fear, of admiration, of rivalry, of… brotherhood. _

_Sharingan…_

_But he didn't want to see those accursed eyes. No matter how they were shaped. He wanted to see the girl with the pupil-less white eyes. The girl had shattered his doubts, and filled his heart with determination. He wanted to see that girl, who had cheered him up. He hated the sharingan, but people like her… he really liked people like her. He knew that. But wherever he ran, men with red eyes showed up. He sank deeper and deeper into the dream, but he wanted to go up. He wanted to see her. She was about to say something important. Something crucial. His name?_

_But even when he chased the women in his dreams, she took different forms. Red hair. Brown hair. The most beautiful women, and some just plain looking yet with a charm unlike any other. He could see them, but not her, not the girl with the pale eyes. Yet for some reason, he found an attraction to each one of them. It was… he felt torn. He didn't want them, did he? Why would he want them? He.. Who was he? She wanted to say! He needed to get back!_

_A woman with black hair appeared. Her proud features reminded him of Tayuya. He knew she would have the same fierce appearance once angered. But she was much taller, and her spiky hair was more like Temari's, as was the way she spoke. She held him close. He could feel her pressed against him, and it awakened something within him… it was as pleasant as it was confusing. What did she do to him? Why did she hold him like that? "I am sorry that he decided to do that..."_

"_Why couldn't he accept it? He has everything I never had. Everything I wanted to achieve. Why did he… We are brothers!" he felt himself lean closer to the woman. Her voluptuous chest pressed against him. The softness, the warmth, it comforted him even though everything seemed to be so desperate. "We fought."_

"_You won, my dear," she kissed him in his neck. He shivered at the touch of her lips._

"_Then why do I feel like I lost?"_

_The smell of her hair, it… No. No, he needed to get back. That girl, she was about to tell him his name. Why did that seem so important? Why did he… Red eyes. No! She had white eyes. Not more. Not deeper. He… Up! He needed to go back! White eyes!_

Panting, covered in sweat, Genkuro jerked up. His heartbeat went wild, as if every vein in his body contracted. He still saw all those eyes stare at him, he...

"Genkuro?"

He flinched back at the sound of her voice, rolling out of the tent. "Oi, shithead, get back in here!"

What was going on? He still saw those hate-filled red eyes staring at him, but he wanted to see that girl with the white eyes. It wasn't real, it was his dream which still flooded his senses. His head hurt, emotions wildly fluctuating, and… he ran. A tall white-haired man blocked him, but he effortlessly pushed him aside. He felt like he would explode with the frustration boiling up inside him. He wanted.. He needed to..

He didn't know how far he had gone from the camp, but he stopped and roared. Roared from the frustration he felt. He wanted to know. Who was he? Why? Why did he dream those dreams? He felt empty, and fell to his knees.

It didn't take long before two pairs of footsteps came running towards him.

"Holy fuck!" he heard one of the girls exclaim. He remembered again. He had been confused when he woke up, but now he knew. It was Tayuya.

"Genkuro," Temari approached him carefully. "What just… What got into you?" She asked kindly, but he heard from her voice that she wouldn't take no for answer. He had to either answer her, or piss her off- and he didn't want the latter.

"I want to know," he whispered hoarsely, his throat still raw from his outcry. "Those dreams... those eyes, she had white eyes, and she knew… She wanted to tell me. My… my name. But then..." he felt the frustration boil up again.

But this time, he was stopped. Through the connection between them, through the bridge created when he left part of his soul within her to usher out Orochimaru's influence, she felt his pain. Such horrible pain… She could feel how torn he was, the longing, the confusion. Most of all she felt the frustration because he didn't understand. She couldn't bear it.

Genkuro froze up when Tayuya embraced him. When she saw what effect that had, Temari joined in. "Please don't," Tayuya said softly. "Don't feel like that. Please, it hurts..."

He had kept a bit of distance, but Jiraiya felt himself release the breath he had been holding when he saw them. The young man, embraced by the two girls. The three of them kneeling amidst all the destruction. Uprooted trees, torn soil… '_He just gave the expression 'exploding with rage' a whole new dimension. Damn. This was close, if he had done this in the camp I doubt the others would have survived. Even I would be in serious trouble.'_

The same thought that occupied him while walking back to camp also filled the heads of Temari and Tayuya: should we tell him? Should we tell him that we suspect that he is Uzumaki Naruto? He deserved to know the truth, or what they suspected to be the truth, but on the other hand… Outbursts like these showed how volatile he was. Genkuro had a severe mental trauma, and apparently had only recently begun to remember things of his old life. If they told him about Naruto, would that jolt his memories, or only add to his frustrations?

As the three eyed the scorched and torn-apart forest, the tens or hundreds of yards of destruction, they all realized that either choice was dangerous, but that telling him now would likely cause another of these explosions. He would not be able to deal with it.

Honen, Taruho, and Shion were all wide awake when Jiraiya returned to camp. "Don't worry, it seems Genkuro had a nightmare or something," he tried to calm them. But they too would have heard or seen the explosion.

"Can he be trusted?" Taruho obviously had concerns about having a person as dangerous as Genkuro near Shion.

"He made some distance, didn't he?" Jiraiya shrugged. "If he wanted to kill you, he could've easily done so."

But Shion didn't let herself be distracted. She held a bell in her hands, the thing which she usually kept as some kind of charm. "What is he, Jiraiya-sama..."

Something in her voice made him shiver. A mixture of fear and confusion, and something he couldn't quite place. "What do you-"

"I had a dream. I saw him die. But it wasn't him. I saw him, but he was young. A boy, crushed by a demon made of sand. I saw it, and I knew it was him, that it was Genkuro… But it is impossible!"

"Shion-sama, are you sure that-"

"Taruho, you know how these dreams work! I am not mistaken, he is… He already died."

"Being who you are, it must frighten you," Jiraiya smiled wistfully. "To meet someone whose fate is impossible to predict. The blond boy you saw is indeed him, priestess. That boy died, yet returned as something else… Something no one knows what. And he doesn't know either."

"He doesn't know who he is?" Shion blinked.

"He doesn't remember who he once was," Jiraiya nodded. "He seems to remember some things, and says that when he dreams he also relives things… As you can imagine, the nightmares he has have quite a different meaning than the ones we normal people have."

"Should I tell him what I saw?"

"It is best you don't. I suspected that he was that boy, but now that you have seen him, I am sure. But still, with how volatile he is right now, it would likely jeopardize our mission if we told him. He has much to deal with, and I do not wish to add any more to his already burdened soul."

"Is that why they stick so close to him?" Honen wondered. "Even at the temple, they seemed to help him."

"They do. Their presence calms him down, and be thankful that they do…" Jiraiya grimaced, not just at the thought, but also because of his ribs. His pride had been a victim too. Being casually swatted away like that, for a man of his reputation, was not the most enjoyable feeling.

* * *

"Ugh, I'm all dirty," Temari mumbled when they stood up, trying to swat the ash from her clothes.

"Once you go black..." Tayuya smirked.

"Don't go there, please," the blonde sighed. "I'm sure it will be interpreted the wrong way."

"What?"

"Don't play innocent with me."

"Sure, whatever you want, sis," Tayuya shrugged. "Let's get to the river. It shouldn't be too far from here. It's nearly morning anyway, so I doubt we'll get any sleep after this chaos."

"Sorry," Genkuro sighed.

"Well, you can repay it," Tayuya scratched her chin, striking a pose as if she was seriously pondering about something.

"Oh no. No. No, we're not going down that way," Temari cut her off. Bad Tayuya, Bad! "After being woken up like that, I'm not in the mood for your foul-mouthed schemes."

"Hey, I only wanted to suggest that we should take a bath. There's a river near camp, and were all covered in ashes because this half-wit here," she gave Genkuro a playful, though firm, jab against his chest, "torched down half the forest."

"Water is cold," the blond grumbled.

"I can keep you warm," Tayuya suggested, though her innocent smile did not convince Temari at all. "Tsk. Spoilsport. We're sleeping together, so what's the point about bathing together?"

"At night, we keep our clothes on," Temari deadpanned. "Admit it, you just want him naked."

"W-what?! I didn't mean it like that," Tayuya sputtered. Genkuro looked at her, and frowned. He didn't see the point, but if it made her happy… Why not?

Temari stopped mid-sentence when Genkuro unwrapped the black sash, undid himself of his dirtied haori, and pulled down his pants. He noticed the girls staring at him, and he gave them a blank stare in return. "What? You wanted me to undress, right?"

Grabbing her nose to stop the bleeding, and trying as hard she could to not blush as if she glowed in the dark, Temari tried to compose herself. "Get those pants on, you can't just lower them like that, you idiot!"

"Why not?" he noticed that Tayuya had a nosebleed as well, and the weird mixture of emotions… For some reason he was reminded of the dream, where that black-haired woman comforted him. What he had felt when she leaned against him and…

"You can't just go naked in front of everyone! I told you that before!"

"Is something defective? I can change it if something is wrong."

"That's not the point!" Temari shouted over Tayuya's 'you're perfect as you are' remark, which she uttered after a rather obvious look downwards. "You can't just undress in front of everyone, it… it's indecent!"

"Indecadent?"

"Indecent," she corrected him. "It means that is improper or vulgar. Like how Tayuya generally acts."

"Hey!" someone was not amused by the playful jab. Though it did drag her eyes away from Genkuro. Well, from a part of Genkuro.

"But… Look, just don't do it in front of everyone again, okay? I… Ehm, how should I explain this to you?" Temari felt a little frustrated. He always took things so literally, and explaining such normal concepts as clothing and nudity was just... Ugh, why were the simplest things the hardest to put to words? "Ah, yes! You should only undress in front of the woman you love, but otherwise you should keep it to yourself."

"Love?" Genkuro had heard the term more often, but every time Temari and Tayuya avoided talking about it. In fact, the latter pinched the bridge of her nose, knowing that the blonde just made things worse, far worse. "What is love? It's not another piece of clothing, right?" Genkuro found clothing far too restrictive, and considering he was burning up anyway, he didn't need it to keep warm either. He hated those unnecessary rags!

She looked at Tayuya, but the redhead was busy cleaning her nose. Temari had brought it up, so she could deal with this mess herself as well.

Seeing that the redhead wouldn't help her, Temari sighed. "I guess I had to explain it eventually. Love is… Erm. Help me out, Tayuya, will you?"

"A man and a woman having sex," she said without any hint of shame. '_If the Bimbo creates this mess herself, I might as well increase the chaos a bit!'_

"That's lust, not love," Temari protested. She didn't want Genkuro to learn about sex. After what nearly happened to her, Temari doubted she would be comfortable around him if he knew about _that_. She'd rather keep him innocent, even though it was very obvious that he wouldn't stay like that for much longer. Those dreams changed him. Far faster than she wanted him to...

"I suppose," Tayuya shrugged. "But why are you asking me? I've been enslaved by Orochimaru for most of my life, and it isn't like that bastard ever taught us stuff like that. He was only interested in creating obedient soldiers. Anything related to romance or sex was deemed 'unproductive' or 'inefficient'."

"You're right, I'm a fool thinking that you could help," Temari sighed, earning her another glare. "Well, it's not like I'm the perfect person to explain it."

"Eh? But you know everything Mari!"

"Don't blame me if he gets the wrong idea," Temari looked at Tayuya. "Love is probably the strongest emotion someone can feel. It is the opposite of hatred, and yet the two are related. Love is… well, there is the physical part, though that is mostly 'lust', but love is more about how you feel. The person you love is someone who gives your life meaning. Someone who you'd like to be with all the time, forever. Someone for whom you'd gladly lay down your life, if it means you could save her that way. Love is something that gives you hope, no matter how bad things seem to be. They say that when you're in love, you feel like the sun is always shining, even though it's a rainy day. The person you love makes you happier than anyone else," she felt awkward talking about this. Being the daughter of the Kazekage and sister to a monster, she never really had many boys nearby. After she and her brother had been blamed for what her father had done, and for what their little brother had failed to do… well, outcasts were never in high demand.

"Love is light?"

"No, don't take everything always so literal! It is a feeling!"

"So, the person I love is the one who is the most important to me?" Genkuro frowned. "Why one?"

"W-what?"

"He asks why he can't love more people at the same time, bimbo," Tayuya cut in.

"I, umm… I don't know," Temari admitted. "But they say you can only feel true love for one person. Sure, you can platonically love as many people you'd like, but I don't want to confuse Genkuro with that."

"So… I have to unclothe in front of those I love, and those I love are the people who are most important to me and who give my life meaning? Okay," Genkuro shrugged and lowered his pants once again.

"What are you doing!" Temari screeched. Neither of them was prepared for that turn of events, so both got nosebleeds, again. Now they really needed a bath…

"But you give my life meaning, and make me happy, so I have to lower my pants, right?" Genkuro was truly lost right now.

'_But who did he mean by 'you'? Or both of us? Does he love me, or her?_' both girls had the exact same thought, at the exact same moment.

Genkuro understood none of it, but then again, the concept of love isn't easy to understand. It had to be felt, to be experienced. But for him, what did he experience, with that black haired woman of his dreams, the bossy red-haired woman, or perhaps that girl with her pale eyes, who impressed him so much, who had nearly told him… What did he want to hear from her? Why was what she tried to say so much more important to him than all those other women in his dreams?

It mattered little. Temari was the first person he ever cared for. All the others had been burnt to ashes, but she… well, she was special. He didn't know why, but she was. The bond he had with Tayuya was special as well. Was it love? All he knew was that Temari's awkward descriptions were fitting, so he guessed it was. He didn't understand why it had such an impact on the two. The dirty looks they gave each other while they walked in front of him confused him. Was it because of him? He did wear his pants again, even though it was only after them threatening him that he would have to wear a shirt underneath his haori if he did not put his pants on right then and there. So what was the issue? They cared about each other, so why…

Apparently love was a source of strife? Genkuro tried to shrug it off, but he found himself unable to do so. The three of them had travelled together, accepted each other, and he thought it was obvious they cared about each other. So why would a thing like this cause friction? Unless, the definition Temari gave wasn't really 'love'.

Because if it was, they wouldn't argue with each other, would they? Genkuro never understood the strange kind of 'blindness' others had. The way he saw Tayuya, the way Tayuya saw him, it was something no other human had. His feelings affected her, her feelings affected him. But apart from them, none of the others truly 'felt' the other. Instead of sensing, they seemed to use that _something_… that thing he couldn't explain to them, they deformed it. They abused it, and channelled it into their attacks.

It was as if they gave up their eyes, and used them as weapons instead.

But why? Sure, a weapon was useful to a regular human being, but to someone like Genkuro, weapons were meaningless. What good would a weapon have if you could even use it properly? A blind man couldn't aim an arrow without sight. From the changes in their warmth, Genkuro knew that Temari and Tayuya were fighting over something. Why couldn't they see this by themselves? If they did, they would see that both had the same fundamental emotion.

Standing by the waterside, Temari and Tayuya first made sure that their clothes got cleaned. Patting out the dust and ashes, then washing whatever dirt remained. The bloodstains from their noses were harder to remove, but at least they could be rubbed out until it was just a somewhat darker stain. Genkuro had just jumped in, more or less under orders, as Temari had not possessed the patience to explain him why they needed clean clothes.

"Just leave them to dry," Temari said to Tayuya. The latter had washed her white shirt, and pulled out her black pants.

"I'll take a bath too."

"She loves us too," Genkuro chimed in. Though the glares they shot his way convinced him to retreat, as apparently he had a really wrong idea of what 'love' was. Then again, Tayuya kept her panties on, and had her chest still wrapped in linen. Well, she had tried to take those off as well, but Temari had sent her such a foul look that she had reconsidered. Seducing Genkuro would have to wait.

Not that the scene went by without any effect. It was a bit unnerving that Genkuro suddenly recalled that dream again. That black-haired woman, who pressed her chest against him… why did that feel so confusing!? Why did it feel so good? He didn't understand, so urged himself to focus on something else.

Temari hung her white dress on the same branch as Tayuya had her arranged clothes, so they would at least dry a little while they bathed. Unlike Tayuya, Temari had a strange piece of clothing called a 'bra'. It eluded Genkuro why they covered their breasts, when there was no issue if he kept his chest uncovered but… '_Dammit, why do I keep recalling that woman!? Why do I keep looking at them like that?'_

Seeing them shiver in the cold river water, he spread out some of his warmth. It was a bit difficult in this slowly streaming water, but he had gathered enough warmth anyway. In his rage, he had consumed a fair share of trees and small animals. And he hadn't even felt hungry at all..

'_Was that like what happened when I first met Tayuya? The thought that they would hurt Temari… Something erupted,'_ Genkuro wondered. '_No, back then, the feeling seemed to collapse, as if it opened a bottomless pit which sucked in all warmth. What just happened went outwards, not inwards.'_

Finally, both girls relaxed. The warmed up water soothed their tired bodies, and gave them a chance to properly wake up. Especially considering how Genkuro had woken them up this early in the morning… Temari wasn't much of a morning person. Back in Sunagakure, she only got started after a good mug of coffee, but that sort of luxury couldn't be found out here. In contrast, after her years as Orochimaru's servant, Tayuya didn't care much about the hour she woke up. She, however, did get grumpier when it was late in the evening.

Lazily floating, Tayuya gave a deep and satisfied sigh. "I wish I could spend the entire day here."

"Hmhmm," the blonde nodded in agreement.

But he didn't. Genkuro surprised them by suddenly stepping out of the water. Upon his departure, the warmth immediately flowed away, leaving them once again shivering. "What the hell! Get back in here!" Tayuya was not pleased. Just when she was enjoying herself, he did that.

"I need to pull on my pants," Genkuro did as he spoke.

"For fuck's sake, you chickenshit, you hate clothing and now you suddenly-"

"Temari said I need to wear pants when others are near," his simple statement made them feel a chill which didn't come from the cold water. Shion and Taruho weren't able to sneak up to them that silently, Honen wouldn't do something as improper like that, and Jiraiya… well, they taught him the hard way what would happen if he tried to spy on them again.

"How many?" was the first thing Temari wanted to know.

"One feels cold like the monk in training," Genkuro remarked. "The other two seem normal."

"How far?" they both were rushing to put their wet clothes on. Temari drew her nodachi, and Tayuya pulled her flute from the seal she had hidden in her pants.

In response, he just pointed. A dark brown-haired girl with her hair in two buns jumped through the forest line. She was anbu- Konoha anbu, judging by her hitai-ate. She was followed by a young man with long, dark hair and white eyes: a Hyuga. "Fuck, how did these freaking anbu find us?" Tayuya growled.

Lastly, their leader, was an adult male judging by what little they could see. His eyes were covered by dark sunglasses, and his body mostly hidden within his cloak. "He is cold," Genkuro remained perfectly calm. "But these are not the problem. Two more are coming. One feels… familiar," he hesitated. Was this the same presence he met within Tayuya's mind? It felt eerily similar.

The tendrils of his senses retreated. He would need all his warmth, if he wanted to win this.

"You!" Temari suddenly gasped. "You're that girl from the Chunin Exams! And you're that guy who got his ass kicked by-"

A barrage of kunai flew at her, forcing her to hush and dodge. Tenten was here to do her job, not for idle conversations.

Genkuro wasn't exactly worried. He could feel that Temari had more warmth within her than this girl. Though, just to be sure, he grabbed the large scroll she carried on her back. If the girl could get so many weapons from a tiny scroll, he knew the big scroll was likely to be bad news. Neji was fast, but not fast enough to save the scroll. Angered at the loss of so many weapons, Tenten tried to hit Genkuro, but if Neji couldn't hit him, then he was way too fast for her.

No, Genkuro wasn't worried, until he noticed Neji's eyes...

Aburame Tatsuma silently watched the scene unfold, but when Tayuya played her first notes he vanished in a cloud of insects.

"Nothing is ever easy, fuckdammit..."

"White eyes-" something about what Genkuro said made Tayuya feel a bit of fear. This deep sense of longing, this frustration, it was the same as why he had snapped earlier. It even overruled the vague sense of recognition Genkuro had when he first saw the Hyuga and the bun-haired girl. He was too livid to pay attention to such things right now. Tayuya couldn't understand it. Why was he suddenly so obsessed with those Hyuga? What did he dream about?

* * *

A bit restless after the night's events, Jiraiya was still on edge. As such, he immediately sensed the disturbance. It was just a bit outside the perimeter of seals that he set up around the campsite, but a shinobi of his stature wouldn't have come this far without picking up some sensory skills.

"Jiraiya-sama?" Honen wondered why the sennin suddenly stopped mid-way while taking a sip of his canteen. Anything that came between the man and his sake was something worth paying attention to.

"We're under attack," the sennin said grimly.

"What?" the young monk exclaimed. "Are they after Shion-sama?"

"Doesn't seem like it. Tayuya and Temari are under attack, but they've got Genkuro with them. Still... I made some preparation in case this would happen," Jiraiya held up a scroll. "This barrier would prevent practically anyone from entering."

"Practically?" Honen remarked skeptically.

"Yep, there's never an absolute guarantee. There aren't many, but there are those who are good enough with seals and barriers to break through. Although, the number of people who are at my level can be counted with one hand," the white-haired man remarked casually. "The real downside is that you three won't be able to leave. So stay put until I get back."

"Hey, you can't just… Taruho is still out there, he just went out to collect breakfast!"

"Our mission is to protect the priestess, he will understand," Jiraiya ended all discussion.

Shion wanted to protest, but Jiraiya had already bolted away. Then again, Shion had received a dream, long before they even came near Hi no Kuni. She knew… Taruho would not leave this nation. She warned him, even, but still he had gone. But the thought that she could only helplessly wait behind these barriers was vexing. As much as she had been forced to accept inevitability, she still hated her accursed 'gift'.

Rushing through the trees, Jiraiya couldn't help but feel a certain amount of panic. '_I don't know who is stupid enough to piss off Genkuro right now, but if he has another one of his little fits while the girls are nearby… Dammit!'_

"What an unexpected pleasure, Jiraiya."

Jiraiya stopped. That voice, it couldn't be… "You!"

* * *

"Fate has decreed that you are my opponent," Neji calmly stated. While Naruto had shattered his original beliefs, Neji had retained some of his original thoughts on the matter. After all, a loser like Naruto had been able to defeat him, but even Naruto had been powerless against his own fate. In spite of all the bravado, big words meant little in the face of your inevitable death. So while Neji was stripped of his arrogance regarding his own capabilities and insight, he still firmly believed that a person's fate was pre-determined.

He had vowed to grow to a level where his byakugan would indeed see that fate, as the most powerful of his clan had boasted to be capable of doing.

"White eyes," Genkuro hissed in response. "You know her!"

"I am Hyuga Neji, not 'white eyes'," the Hyuga replied stiffly.

"You. Know. Her. She had white eyes! Tell me, now!"

Neji eyed his opponent. The blond young man was taller than he was, four inches by the looks of it, and his body was lean and muscular like a well-trained shinobi. Only… what Neji saw was not chakra, was it? The man had eyes, if they truly could be called that, made of liquid fire. The churning orbs pierced into his own pure eyes, making Neji wonder what those eyes would see. Because what Neji saw was somewhat frightening.

The blond man had no tenketsu to speak of, not the usual kind, at least. No, while his body was so similar to that of normal human being, it was structurally different at the same time, as if someone constructed a human body without proper knowledge of how it truly functioned on the inside. It was a mockery against nature. The bones were there, yet oddly different and in places there were simply too many. Neji could see an extra set of ribs, for instance.

However, there was no fixed system of tenketsu. When Neji looked with his byakugan activated, he saw something which he could only compare to a flame. It was ever-changing and all-consuming, yet somehow caught and encapsulated by a mass of flesh, bones, and muscles. It was as if his true nature was visible through his fiery eyes. The physical body was not just some kind of cloak, as Neji could see how intertwined the flames and flesh was. But it was… abnormal.

He was fundamentally different from any shinobi Neji had ever seen. Chakra was a mixture of physical and spiritual energies, yet this strange being possessed something which was different. It was as if there was no difference between his physical energy and his spiritual energy, and it had merged into something else, something transcending normal chakra. Neji couldn't comprehend what he saw, and in fact, he even began to realize that there was something else in there as well… as if there was a third source of energy mixed into it.

"You have her eyes, tell me!" Genkuro demanded. He was frustrated. He wanted to ask about the girl in his dream, but how could he explain it? He didn't know how he remembered her. He didn't know her name. He only knew… "The blue-haired girl had white eyes like you. Tell me about her."

'_Blue-haired...?'_ Neji froze. He had taken a guarded posture, opting for defense while his opponent's abilities were unknown. But this remark… blue-haired? Could it be Hinata? Was this abomination connected to her sudden disappearance? Did he…

Genkuro felt his frustration grow when Neji jumped at him. He focused his warmth to his body. He knew he was strong and fast enough to handle someone with the amounts of warmth that Neji possessed.

But Neji had not become a jonin without gaining skill equal to the rank. "Hakke Kusho!"

A pinpointed 'vacuum shell' nearly forced Genkuro off his feet. The tremendous force was enough to blast most regular opponents away. But Genkuro had felt it coming, via the shifts in Neji's warmth. So, he had just rooted himself to the earth, much like how he managed to withstand the attacks from the monks at the Temple of Fire.

It did, however, create an opening which Neji could exploit. Nailed to the ground, Genkuro could not move quickly enough, and Neji ducked under his guard. With his arms still crossed to block the earlier shockwave, Genkuro couldn't block Neji's strike from below, a strike right to the heart; a successful strike to the heart. Neji saw the damage he had inflicted to his peculiar blond-haired opponent.

The insult… This man looked eerily similar to an older version of Naruto, the one who had changed Neji's life, who had started the chain of events through which Neji had mended the broken ties between him and the main family of his clan. Had it not been for that defeat, Neji would probably not have learned the truth about his father. To think that the man who apparently knew about Hinata's disappearance looked like that boy, the boy who had died several years ago, it was the salt on Neji's still-open wounds.

"She was lost for months," Neji growled. "At least I had the honor of avenging her. Hinata-sama… She already suffered so much, and you-"

"Hinata?" Genkuro frowned.

"What?"

"Her name, it is Hinata?" Genkuro clarified. "Where is she? Where is Hinata?"

"But… your heart," Neji for once doubted his own eyes. The organ was damaged severely, with blood clotting up within the man's chest, but he just seemed to be completely unaffected. It should have been enough to kill any man. '_What is he?'_

"Where is she," Genkuro was starting to lose his patience. With a gust of his warmth, he repaired the source of his pain. '_Strange. None of the baldies could cause such damage. Even though I used my warmth to shield myself from the damage, this white-eye managed to hurt me. How could he bypass my shield?'_

Neji darted back, seeing how Genkuro healed himself, but it was too late. The unrelenting strength of Genkuro was beyond his ability to beat. Juken was useless. Genkuro grabbed Neji by the throat, his strong hand closing slowly but unstoppably. "Hinata. Where is she? Who is she? Tell me," His grim expression was completely unlike the carefree behavior Neji saw from afar earlier.

Genkuro had longed for answers ever since Temari had taught him to think and talk. After his dream, he knew that this girl would hold one of the many answers he sought for. He had to know. There was no other option which crossed his mind. This white-eyed young man had to tell him.

Neji choked as Genkuro lifted him from the ground. "You… She is missing… Presumed dead… No one knows. You… You must have been the one… who killed her."

* * *

Temari had to admit that she really missed her good old giant folding fan. The defensive qualities of her nodachi were far below that of her fan. She recalled fighting this bun-haired kunoichi during the Chunin Exams, all that time ago. It had been a short and completely one-sided battle. Barrage after barrage was thrown, but with her fan they were easily deflected.

The large blade did not offer that possibility.

Then again, the wind chakra channelled through the blade offered an attacking power unparalleled by what the bun-haired girl could muster. The soil was torn to bits from the attacks Temari had sent her way, trees were ripped apart, and Tenten was constantly forced to dodge.

Besides, whenever Temari felt threatened by the girl's weaponry, a simple "Futon: Daitoppa" could solve any problem. But she had to give the girl credit for the growth she had gone through. Back in the days of the exams, Tenten would have quickly fallen.

'_Or is it because I grew weaker? I didn't get much combat experience in these last years. I picked up training again when we arrived at the temple, but still I'm quite a bit below the level I should now be,'_ Temari mused. It was not that it mattered much right now, as her winning her match was an inevitability considering the huge advantage she had over the bun-haired anbu. '_Yet the fool apparently insisted of fighting me, because of how she lost last time.'_

Her evasive behavior became a bit annoying though. Tayuya had vanished on the other side of the stream, behind the trees, while locked in combat with the Aburame. Temari wanted to help, but kept missing. Until…

Until Genkuro was fed up with the situation. His frustration got the better of him after Neji falsely accused him of murdering the very girl he had dreamt about. Genkuro knew that he had never seen that girl before, and yet… Unable to fight with words, Genkuro lost himself to anger. He wanted to know the answers to his existence, and he had the feeling that girl could have given him those. He had felt it, that girl had known him. Not the outward persona, but who he really had been. She had known him better than anyone else, which was why he had been so impressed by her. Genkuro _had_ to meet her.

And Neji denied him that chance.

Temari swung her nodachi, and the powerful slash of wind ended Tenten's screams. She had screamed his name as she saw Neji's motionless body slump down. Genkuro may have been unable to channel chakra the conventional way, but his physical ability was fearsome. A slight loss of control, and the power of Genkuro's hand had become too much for Neji's spine. With a loud crack, the Hyuga lost all control over his body.

Before fire consumed him, he watched helplessly as his long-time friend… well, he had wished that it could have been more than just that. Now he couldn't do anything but watch how Tenten was slain alongside him. '_I'm sorry, Gai-sensei. My impatience… if I hadn't agreed, Tenten would have stayed as well. Hinata-sama, I'm-'_

"Shall we go and help Tayuya?" Temari tried to ignore the burning corpse. The hungry flames did their work fast, and returned all residual energy to Genkuro. But Genkuro didn't even look at her. He was gazing somewhere back, in the direction of the encampment.

"That warmth feels familiar."

"What warmth? Come on, we need to-"

"You will help Tayuya, I will help Pervert-san."

"Jiraiya? Why would he need… Dammit, Genkuro, at least listen to me before you rush away!" Temari growled but he was already gone. "Fine then, apparently you think Tayuya and I are sufficient to deal with that bug-freak. But you definitely need to be taught a lesson."

* * *

This typical sound of laughter always irked him more than anything else, from his rival, his teammate, his friend… his enemy. Jiraiya glared at Orochimaru.

"Jiraiya, Danzo never said anything about you being here… I wonder if the old fox was trying to get rid of me," the snake sage chuckled. "Even after all his trouble to use Shisui's precious eye against me. He must have realized that I would break his genjutsu eventually."

"Why… Why did you do _this_?"

"I thought you of all people would be appreciative of this change," Orochimaru said with not a little mirth. "But as unexpected as it was, it turned out to be a perfect test-run for my new body. Even I am surprised. After all, that food-collecting moron we just met was not even a proper warming-up exercise for me, so Kabuto had-"

A new entrant interrupted the snake. "Pervert-san?"

"Oh my, we have another guest?" Orochimaru barely looked at Genkuro. "Please make sure we are not interrupted, Kabuto, I just had my moment of fun with my old teammate."

"Yes, Orochimaru-sama." The bespectacled young man with his ash-grey hair turned towards Genkuro. "So… Shall we?"

"I don't care," Genkuro just moved past him. Kabuto lashed out, attempting to drive his chakra scalpel into Genkuro's chest, and still Genkuro ignored him. With a bleeding wound, Genkuro just stood there and watched.

He saw her.

She was older, making him wonder how long it had been since he had seen her. But she was definitely the girl he dreamt about. Even if she was half-hidden by the shadows cast by the tree above her. The gentle form, the radiant pure eyes… it was her. But at the same time it wasn't. He felt this presence. He saw a second source of warmth within her, one which had taken over her body. It was the same as the one who had hidden himself within Tayuya. The scaly white snake, who had kept Tayuya's psyche imprisoned, using her for his own ends.

But with Tayuya, he had only been a small power capable of manipulating her to some degree. What he saw now was on a whole different level. The light shifted, and the shadows move from her face. The gentle face was now covered by a sickly pale skin, the shyness in her eyes replaced by a haughtiness which that girl would never have displayed. Her eyes were still of the same white, yet surrounded by a black and yellow pigment which wasn't her own. It was her, and yet it wasn't.

Wearing the default outfit of Otogakure, including the weird pretzel bow, there was little left of the kind girl known as Hyuga Hinata. Cast away by her village after she had lost what little confidence she once possessed with Naruto's death, Hinata had been set upon a path of vengeance. Misguided and manipulated, she was driven into Orochimaru's arms. Orochimaru told her that it had been Konoha and her clan whom had been responsible for Naruto's death, for her mother's death, and for her treatment.

Her long, blue hair was stuck up with two long pins, which moved as she tilted her head slightly. "How peculiar, a boy with eyes of fire? And with my byakugan I can see that you are extremely unusual…"

"My apologies, Orochimaru-sama, I will remove him at-"

Kabuto would never remove anyone. Genkuro saw it. The girl of his dream had been twisted into this. Frustration had overtaken him earlier, leading to a literally explosive rage. But now… this was something he had only felt one time before. His flames retracted, darkened. His warmth turned cold. His brightly radiating eyes-of-fire had turned black as obsidian.

He was beyond angry.

Genkuro had lost his one chance to find out who he was, all because of this man. The very same monster that had put Tayuya through all that pain, a pain which Genkuro had personally experienced while he had gone through Tayuya's memories in order to find her core. Jiraiya shivered as he felt the temperature drop drastically, even though half his body was shut down due to the demonstration of juken which Orochimaru had just performed. He noticed how the earth cracked underneath Genkuro's feet. Any nearby plants suddenly withered and died, having all their energy drained from them. '_Oh shit...'_

This was what Kabuto tried to attack. This was what turned towards him, staring at him as if those pure obsidian black eyes could view into his very soul. '_What is he?__'_ was the last thought which crossed the mind of Yakushi Kabuto.

A Claw-like finger moved, faster than even Jiraiya's eyes could follow. Even Orochimaru took a step backwards when he saw how his most trusted subordinate got his throat torn asunder, with a mere show of brute power. The spy would never utter another treasonous word again. Both sennin could feel the unnatural and extremely low temperature which radiated from Genkuro.

Frost bit into the medic's skin, into his very bones. Kabuto, unable to even scream in his anguish, froze. He tried to save himself by using the In'yu Shometsu, but his cellular healing was impossible. The chakra just drained from him, vaporized by the freezing presence of Genkuro. Genkuro claimed the warmth of all that was weaker, leaving everything frozen as a result. And by his tearing into the flesh of Kabuto, Taruho's murderer got infected by that arctic aura. In his despair, Kuboto tried to look at his master. But when the coldness spread, stopping the blood running from his torn throat, Kabuto's eyes failed him.

His frozen irises cracked, and his body followed. Shattered to pieces, the torment of Yakushi Kabuto was ended.

"So… you are the one who managed to kill both the Sound Four and Kimimaro," Orochimaru whispered. "Never before have I met someone as interesting as you…"

* * *

_Author's notes_:

* * *

Dreams and emotions, these two concepts made this a very difficult chapter to write (and edit, unfortunately for Illuminated). But I think the outcome is pretty good. In particular, the dream sequence was a part which I loved writing, especially because it revealed more about Genkuro then what most people assumed up till now. And through Neji, I showed you a little about what Genkuro is, as well.

But despite this being the longest chapter of this fic, I suppose it is still a very bad moment to stop the chapter, for you guys at least. Has Orochimaru completely taken over Hinata's body? Will she try to break free now that she sees Naruto reincarnate? And what will Genkuro do? What can he do? Will Genkuro discover his real name? And those other dreams… how did he get those?

I'd like to alert you all to my new story **Apophenia**. In this story, Minato and Kushina were rescued by someone, and Naruto grows up in a loving and caring environment, rather than as a hated outcast. It will focus mostly on his time at the academy, and eventually on his time during the Chunin Exams. Check it out! I'm convinced you all will eventually like it.

How do you like the new cover image? As always I have to thank my beta **Illuminated**, but I also need to credit the advices given by **ensou**. Talking about her, you guys should check out her stories. To the Tayuya-fans among you, especially, as her story **The Eternal Torment of Tayuya Uzumaki** will be something you will like a lot. So read her stories, and leave some reviews. All writers love reviews, this one too. No matter how short, a writer can always use your support! So share your thoughts and emotions, and help improve the stories you are enjoying!

Next chapter: **Love**.

* * *

-Z-

* * *

**Orochimaru**

One of Konohagakure's legendary Sannin. This man is obsessed with immortality and the acquisition of all skills and bloodline abilities, seeking for the origin of power. His originally interest, however, degraded into something vile and unethical.

Gender: male (originally); female (current body)  
Age: 52 (originally); 15 (current body)  
Height: 160.6 cm  
Weight: 45.0 kg  
Blood type: A

Ninjutsu: 5  
Taijutsu: 3.5  
Genjutsu: 5  
Intelligence: 5  
Strength: 3.5  
Speed: 4.5  
Stamina: 3.5  
Hand seals: 5

Total: 35

Note: using his Fushi Tensei jutsu (Living Corpse Reincarnation), Orochimaru recently took over the body of Hyuga Hinata. While not particularly interested in her talents, he inhabited the body in order to get access to the untarnished byakugan. Unlike previously, this time the sennin is carefully preserving the container in order to postpone the time his soul is rejected. Knowing that the Hyuga clan is related to the Uchiha clan, Orochimaru is intrigued in the true abilities of the Hyuga dojutsu, and whether it is truly linked to the sharingan. Aside from that, it offered him a unique possibility to study the clan's juken taijutsu style.


	12. Love

**Pareidolia**

* * *

**Chapter twelve**

**Love**

* * *

"_Now I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds."_

― Robert Oppenheimer, (mis)quoting the Hindu scripture 'Bhagavad-Gita'.

* * *

"What the fuck…" Tayuya groaned. This pain she felt, it was blinding her, numbing her every sense. For a moment, she thought that the elusive Aburame had attacked her, but it wasn't like that. This brand of pain was different. And yet… It felt so similar. So akin to what she was used to suffer.

'_The cursed seal!__'_ she realized the origin of her pain. Never had she attempted to tap into that wretched thing, not willing to risk the peace of mind which Genkuro had given her. She had been terrified by the idea that Orochimaru would still linger somewhere in that thing. She had worked for the bastard long enough to know that he'd always have several contingencies installed. But, the power that was flooding forth was not his.

It was a dark and cold anger- not the sort of short-lived fury which one could just vent out and be done with it. No, this wasn't just a passing fit of unrestrained anger, what Tayuya felt was far darker, far more frightening. The wrath she felt… it was cold, controlled, yet all-consuming. It felt like an endless source of wrath. Like the Shinigami itself touched her soul. Someone had committed a crime which could never be forgiven. Tayuya knew who radiated all of these emotions. "Genkuro," she whispered. As if he heard her, the power reacted.

Even when Tayuya had made an effort to isolate the seal in the past, the power which erupted from it just flooded her. Any defense against it was pointless. All she could do was to let it happen. Let it flow through her chakra coils, as unrelenting as the waves of the ocean washing upon the shore.

Aburame Tatsuma frowned when his kikaichu suddenly withdrew. He had slowly been luring the red-haired girl into a trap, which was closing with every step she took. She was clever, but Tatsuma was far superior in both skill and experience. The girl relied on sound-based genjutsu, which was basically nullified by the fact that Tatsuma could let his insects disrupt his own chakra pattern. He was her natural worst enemy, and yet… Why were the kikaichu suddenly so wary of the girl?

Genkuro's wrathful power filled her body, and she saw a black flaming pattern spread over her body, much unlike the haphazard yet straight-lined pattern she had normally, when Orochimaru had resided in the seal. But with Genkuro, everything was different. Tayuya could feel it. See it. She saw everything. She could see with such detail that it amazed her.

She saw the trees, the bushes, the grass… Everything was glowing with energy, energy which it collected from the earth, from the sun, from the thin air itself. It was faint, but she could see it light up. Far brighter shone the living creatures. After seeing the flora, she doubted why people classified fauna differently. She saw a squirrel, hastily jumping from branch to branch. What was the difference between the animal and the tree it ran over? The animal shone a little brighter, consuming and expelling energy far faster than the tree did. But it made no difference to the eyes Tayuya now had. There was only a difference in quantity, in intensity. Turning around, Tayuya could see where her opponent was hiding. His warmth burned with an intensity unlike any she had seen before. Neither animals nor plants possessed such an amount of energy. She could see it now. She saw how his warmth, his most basic energy, twisted and converged, and left his body through the connection he had with his insects.

The insects… so many brightly shining dots, they were all around her, hundreds. They had trapped her, but while Tayuya watched, the insects fled from her. They fled from the power that Genkuro granted her. She could feel it within her, but also flowing around her. It was as if she left her body, and gained another sense.

Extending her new power, she tried to catch the little bulbs of energy. His insects. But whatever she touched, died. She could see the energy being drained from the creatures, from everything. Through the appendage only she could perceive, she felt this energy returning to her. Strengthening her, healing her, it was so addictive… It awakened a hunger she had never known before. Why would she have to eat, when she could gather energy so efficiently? When it could be this satisfying?

Tayuya smirked, revealing her sharpened fangs, and began to walk towards her opponent. She saw him stiffen, saw his doubt and confusion. She saw the energy within him churn, and flood to his legs. But that was a little trick she also knew, which every capable shinobi knew. Only, she had gotten so much power, that she miscalculated.

Flying towards him with a speed which even Tayuya never expected from herself, she easily caught up with Tatsuma. She saw the insects leaving his body, swarming around her, committing a mass suicide the like she had never seen before. Simply because she had never seen like this. These eyes… '_Is this how Genkuro sees the world?__'_

Hundreds died. Thousands. Every single one of them attempting to steal a little sliver of her chakra before its untimely death. But for every bug that succeeded, five were consumed by the aura which surrounded Tayuya. In this standoff, Tatsuma immediately realized that his kikai would run out far sooner than the girl's chakra would be drained.

He knew he had to retreat. He had to go, to catch up with his team. But as he ran to where he had last seen Tenten and Neji, Tatsuma felt another person approach. He could sense who it was… '_The second target. I see. That would mean the mission is a failure. Why? Because Tenten would never let this girl slip away, and Hyuga would stay close to Tenten and would also prevent Temari from leaving. His emotional weakness towards Tenten would require that of him. He__'__d never leave her alone.__'_

"Scared, asshole?" Tayuya smirked. Keeping up with a jonin-level shinobi. When not in the second level of the seal, she had never been able to do such a thing. But with the power from Genkuro, it suddenly became so easy. Her sharpened nails lashed out, and Tatsuma only narrowly escaped with his life. Though, he did have a hole in his stomach.

Stumbling, Tatsuma tried to turn towards his opponent, attempting one last attack. He knew he had passed the point of no return as this injury was too severe, but at least he would execute his mission for Konohagakure, for Root, for Danzo!

Before the insects could reach Tayuya, a nodachi swung down.

The Root operative was trained to never show emotion, to never show weakness. But when his left arm was severed, he groaned in pain.

"Fuck off, he's my prey," Tayuya snarled. "Kuchiyose no Jutsu, motherfucker!"

Three hulking and bandaged monsters appeared. Temari had seen them before, the monstrous Doki which answered to Tayuya's calling. "Feast on his flesh," Tayuya laughed. Tearing the anbu apart, the Doki swiftly executed the order their master had given them, with ruthless efficiency. Previously burnt by Genkuro, the creatures had even more bandages than usual, but their movements were not restricted in any way. The wounded Aburame never stood a chance.

Temari resisted the urge to vomit at the sight. She knew for sure that if not for her experiences with Gaara, she would never have been able to resist that urge. Despite the gore, she was more worried about her friend. "Tayuya! Your eyes… What happened to your eyes?!"

"He gave me power," Tayuya smirked, pride and arrogance oozing from her. The rage that flowed through her, the seething emotions that were attached to the power Genkuro granted her, they had overwhelmed her, intoxicated her. Her eyes, usually warm and brown, were now black as obsidian. "Genkuro-kun granted me power."

"Please, try to stop this," Temari begged. She could see that the power was too much for her friend. "This isn't you!"

"What do you know?" Tayuya scoffed, and looked at Temari. "You must be jealous that Genkuro chose me, and not you!"

"I know you, Tayuya. You act tough, but you're kinder than anyone would think. So please stop this. You are my friend, not my rival. Aside from Genkuro, you're the only friend I've got left! You are not my enemy! Why are you acting just like the way you did when that snake controlled you? Please stop this! Think, what would Genkuro feel about you if he saw you like this?"

Annoyed, Tayuya reached out with her newfound power. She'd show the blonde the difference between them. She would show her… She'd show her why Genkuro would be hers. Why he _should_ be hers. She would lay down her claim on him, right here, right now. And in the process, Tayuya would gather some more of that delicious warmth. She hungered for it! Craved to feed on it.

Temari felt a chill, and shouted at Tayuya, hoping that the girl would regain her senses. And in a way, she did. After all, the power which flowed through Tayuya was Genkuro's. Never would he allow anyone to harm Temari. As sudden as the power had emerged, it also left her. Tayuya collapsed like a puppet whose strings had gotten ripped off.

"Tayuya!" Temari rushed to her friend, more worried about what had happened to the girl than she was scared of her.

"Bimbo…" Tayuya groaned weakly. "So-sorry… Genkuro… His… He is.."

The three hulking creatures looked back at their master, whose consciousness faded away, and with annoyance they were forced to end their dinner. Without Tayuya to keep them here, they had to return; such was their contract. Not that Temari noticed- she only had eyes for her pale and profusely sweating friend. Tayuya looked sickly, shivering with a high fever, as if the chakra had poisoned her. "What did you do, you dumbass," Temari gently cleaned the dirt from her unconscious friend's face. "Why did you have to be so reckless?"

* * *

The growing disbelief made Jiraiya forget about his pain. Orochimaru had closed off many of his tenketsu, rendering the toad sage practically defenseless, not to mention that it hurt like a bitch. He had been at Orochimaru's mercy, and then Genkuro had barged in. And Genkuro had just casually turned the tides in this impossible battle. Kabuto had been one of Orochimaru's most trusted lieutenants, no doubt a highly capable shinobi as well, and yet he had been utterly powerless in front of Genkuro's onslaught.

Wobbly, still not able to access his chakra properly, Jiraiya limped back. Out of danger. '_How on earth did Orochimaru get that Hyuga? And considering how her forehead is unmarked, she is one of the main house as well. How could such a girl suddenly go missing? How come no one reported this? My contacts should've known about this! Dammit, those knockers make a fine distraction,__'_ though Jiraiya felt a bit repulsed that he had thought, even it if was for just a moment, that his former teammate was attractive. '_It is still Orochimaru. He just didn__'__t have the time to alter the body to his wishes yet, so it would appear he only recently took control of this girl. Yet, seeing her… Him… Argh! I__'__ll just call him 'it__'__, otherwise I__'__d keep thinking about his rack. Shit, Genkuro is tearing the area apart, and all I can think about is boobs.__'_

He was convinced that Tsunade would give him a mighty blow if she had been around. Tsunade… thinking about her gave Jiraiya a throbbing pain in the chest which had nothing to do with the royal beating he had just gotten from Orochimaru. She had disappeared, only to send him a letter afterwards with her necklace attached, but that only led to an ambush of Otogakure. Jiraiya knew that Orochimaru had needed the Senju in order to get his arms healed, after the damage the Sandaime Hokage had caused. He knew that Orochimaru had the one coin which could buy her service. And Jiraiya allowed himself no illusions, knowing what would happen afterwards. Orochimaru always disposed of assets when no longer needed.

It was that same arrogance, that calculative coldness, which had now failed the man. Orochimaru had thrown jutsu after jutsu at Genkuro, but none worked. Genjutsu simply failed, as the ever-flowing energy within Genkuro did not allow any outside disturbances. Ninjutsu failed just as badly, and apart from the two suiton jutsu which had gotten through Genkuro's defense and had caused damage… Well, with his byakugan Orochimaru could see the rate at which Genkuro could heal himself. In fact, the chakra which the sennin had put into those attacks was mostly absorbed by the young man.

And still, Genkuro did not attack him. As quickly and brutally as he had disposed of Kabuto, so did he fight hesitantly against Orochimaru. He was pulling punches at the last second, refusing to exploit openings which Orochimaru left in his stance, and so on… Genkuro did not seem to have the heart to harm him. Even though he could not fathom his opponent's strange behavior, Orochimaru was still faster. He had not only become famous due to his extensive knowledge. No, he had the skill to earn his fame. Orochimaru was strong, perhaps one of the strongest shinobi in the world, and yet he was unnerved by Genkuro. But he kept attacking; exploiting his advantage, Orochimaru used his juken to tear Genkuro apart.

The bitter cold which radiated from Genkuro hurt his hands, even when they were clad in chakra, and Orochimaru knew very well that using his new body this way would drastically shorten its lifespan. But there was no other way. It was regrettable, but Danzo had ordered him to eliminate these two girls and to assess this new threat Genkuro. And due to the accursed sharingan which Danzo had torn out of Uchiha Shisui's head, Orochimaru had no other option than to obey; although he was interested for his own reasons.

Genkuro intrigued him to no end. Never before had the sennin ever met such a specimen. Though, as impressed and curious as he was, Orochimaru was also slowly beginning to get a chill which he had not felt in many years. He had not felt anything like it, not since physically meeting the leader of the Akatsuki, or at least the one who posed as the leader, if Orochimaru's suspicions were correct. Not since that day had Orochimaru felt this unpleasant feeling: fear. He feared that he stood in front of a being greatly superior to him, an unfathomable creature, capable of something which Orochimaru yearned for: to stand above all other living creatures. A supreme predator. A master of life and death.

But not even that mysterious 'leader' had showcased anything as terrifying as this 'Genkuro'. This young man, whom Orochimaru assumed to be slower than he was, just stood there, impassively, taking every attack. Orochimaru could see it. All damage done was simply regenerated and healed, effortlessly. Orochimaru shivered, knowing that his every attack had been utterly ineffective. Even the bites of his snakes, injecting combinations of poisons fatal to any other living being, had done nothing to slow down Genkuro.

"What are you, boy?" Orochimaru hissed under his breath.

* * *

'_What should I do?__'_

It was a thought which returned over and over again. It was infuriating, but he could not escape it. He had no answer. He wanted to talk to her. He wanted to ask what she said to him, why he could remember her. And perhaps… perhaps she knew who he had been, before the fire, before his resurgence.

'_What should I do?__'_

He had no answers. He didn't know. Sure, he knew that he had saved Tayuya, who had suffered a similar condition. But for the life of him, Genkuro could not recall how he had entered her mindscape. It was done in the spur of the moment, just a crazy idea which he had thoughtlessly followed- an instinct. But now… He saw the girl from his dreams. He knew it was her, she had aged a few years, and that parasitic being had taken over her body, but it was her. There was no doubt in his mind that it was.

'_What should I do?__'_

But no matter how sure he was, she was possessed. Genkuro had no idea of how to undo that. Tayuya, at least, had been in control of her own body, even though she had been influenced by that seal of hers. But this was different. This did not originate from a simple seal, this… this creature which he had met in Tayuya's mind, back then, it had only been a sliver of it. But this white-eyed girl, she had been invaded by the entire thing. He could see the difference.

'_What should I do?__'_

She attacked him. He felt some pain, but it was little more than an annoyance. Repairing the damage was easy. Compared to reconstructing his body, this feeling was barely worth paying attention to. Although, Genkuro wondered whether she was really a 'she'. The white-scaled snake which he had met in Tayuya's mind had been male, or at least it had possessed a male voice. So was she a he? Genkuro decided to put the thought aside. The whole thing about genders confused him anyway, and right now he had more important issues to think about: how to save her, how to tear that snake out of her. But… how?

'_What should I do?__'_

Thoughts flooded Genkuro: there was a memory. It was a classroom, filled with people. The anxiety of everyone could be clearly seen. At least, among those who were seated, those who were scrabbling on the papers they had in front of them, there was anxiety. Those who surrounded the group were perfectly calm, just watching for anyone who tried to cheat their way out of the test. Genkuro knew he had been as lost then as he was right now. He felt the same sort of panic.

'_What should I do?__'_

The memory was strange. Never before had Genkuro recalled anything that detailed during the day. It only happened at night, in his deepest sleep. Why could he recall that classroom? Why? Then he recalled… someone next to him had tried to draw his attention. Whispering. Blushing. It was her, the white eyed girl, still with short hair, like in his dream, unlike the way she had it right now. She had whispered something to him, about how he could look at her test.

"What are you, boy?" Orochimaru hissed.

Dragged away from his pondering, Genkuro looked at the _thing_ in front of him. It was her, the kind girl who had helped him, who appeared in his dream when he was troubled, who aided him when he had been at a loss. She stood right there, and Genkuro could do nothing. He couldn't ask her, couldn't reach her. He couldn't even harm her.

Well, he was easily able to do such a thing, but he just didn't want to. He had known her! To him, it just felt wrong to harm someone like her, just like he would never tolerate anyone harming Temari or Tayuya. Was this the love of which Temari had spoken? Had he loved the girl, before the snake had consumed her? Before Genkuro lost his mind? Genkuro didn't know. Didn't remember.

"_I… __I don'__t want you to disappear here__…" _

The words struck him harder than anything the snake had done to him. Those had been her words. She had offered him a look at her test, risking her own success for his sake, and when he had wondered why, she had said that to him. She didn't want him to disappear.

"I never wanted you to you disappear either," Genkuro mumbled.

Orochimaru looked curiously, wondering what the young man meant. "I see… you must have known this vessel, which is why you did not attack me."

"Release her. Now."

"Hmm… Let me think about that for a moment," Orochimaru mocked him. "How about… NO!" and with that shout, Orochimaru lashed out with his blade. The sword of Kusanagi pierced Genkuro's chest, and with one fluid motion Orochimaru tore the blade sideward. He destroyed Genkuro's heart, his lungs, the muscle tissue…and still Genkuro didn't give a shit. He just grabbed the blade, and Orochimaru had leap back to avoid Genkuro's touch. After all, he had seen what it had done to Kabuto.

Genkuro pulled out the blade, and looked at it. His bottled-up frustration at not knowing the answer erupted, and Genkuro unleashed it on the poor sword. Clasping his fists, Genkuro tensed all his muscles, a mad grimace on his face, and the molten remains of the legendary sword slipping through his fingers. Orochimaru could do little more than speechlessly watch how his prized possession was obliterated, right before his eyes.

The legendary treasure, supposedly unbreakable, had just been broken.

The seething hatred within Genkuro began twisting out of control, giving birth to something new. All this time, Genkuro had been absorbing all the warmth, all the energy around him. All this time he had been feeding. Now he was filled. The rage gave birth to something new within him, and he felt his neck and chest burn. The wounds which he had received all opened up again, black blood dripping out. His obsidian black eyes widened, and as this new 'thing' settled in him, he felt his eyes crack.

Vertical slits appeared in his pitch-black eyes, and orange flames were licking through that opening. They were slit, like an animal, like a beast. As the fifth magatama formed on Genkuro's chest, near his neck, Genkuro noticed how his power suddenly increased. As if it had been an armor of stone, his skin cracked. His flesh twisted and contorted, expanding and rejuvenating until all wounds had vanished. Only slivers of smoke reminded the others of what had just occurred. The once white, now blood-soaked, haori was shed.

The cold left and was replaced by something else, something oppressive, something monstrous… Jiraiya felt as if gravity itself had increased tenfold, binding him to the very place he was standing, dragging him down. He saw that Orochimaru had suffered the same fate.

Being forced to kneel, part of Orochimaru wondered how it would be if he had been the one to possess that body. The other part, however, screamed out in panic to escape, to run from the origin of this horrid atmosphere. He was bound to the place he stood, however. There was no escape. He could not run. He would never ever possess that body.

Genkuro would never allow him, nor would his new arrival, even though this new, unformed creature possessed neither soul nor mind. But it was born from nature, born from Genkuro, and it would never allow a foreign power to govern it.

Bound, Orochimaru could do nothing when Genkuro slowly walked toward him. '_What should I do?__'_ was what Genkuro had contemplated, but he had found an answer. He had seen it. Genkuro tore the tan tunic which hid it, ignored the part of the voluptuous bosom he now saw, and put his hand on the cursed seal on her collarbone.

"It is not where you reside, but it is your anchor. It is how you control her. It is how I will tear you out."

Orochimaru screamed out in pain when Genkuro's oppressive chakra, or the energy which roughly equalled it, flooded through the cursed seal. And yet, in all his pain, Orochimaru felt a glimmer of hope. With her mind, he would hold all the cards. With her mind, he would destroy Genkuro. '_Tearing me out of her… Fool, as if her body would be able to endure such a thing!__'_

* * *

Genkuro looked around, figuring out what this scene was. It was much unlike the burning village within Tayuya's mind, where he had eventually found and liberated her. This was something underground, illuminated by candles, with walls and ceilings of a sturdy and nigh-impenetrable rock. There were doors at regular intervals, but when Genkuro passed them, most of them had ended up being merely a portal to a black void. '_If this is a memory, I would probably not be able to see the areas where she has not been- or did I enter his mind?__'_ Genkuro mused.

Now he had purpose. Now he knew that he had a chance. His anger deflated, though the power remained. With a clearer mind, Genkuro had started discovering the area where he had arrived. From his experience with Tayuya, he guessed that he had to find the white-eyed girl and witness the events which made this memory so important to her, or him. He would only know whose mind this was at the moment that he would meet either one of them.

Walking on, Genkuro arrive at a bifurcation of the passage. '_Right or left, which is the right direction?__'_ Genkuro mused. He chose left. In the right path, the candles seemed to stop after some distance, which he took as an indication that it was an unfamiliar area in this specific memory. Though, he began to wish that he could've gone right…

This hall contained prisons. The doors, made of steel bars, gave a good view of how Orochimaru kept his prisoners. Most were dead or on the verge of dying. Some were obviously experimented on, degraded into something beastly. In one of the last cells, Genkuro saw a sleeping young woman. The fair-skinned woman was of average height and had a slender build. Her black hair was straight and shoulder-length, with bangs that covered her ears and frame her face. She seemed quite out of place; compared to all the half-dead or deformed people, this woman just seemed too normal. Her long bluish-black kimono with white trimmings, held closed by a white obi, also seemed far more civil than the rags most other prisoners wore.

It didn't mean that she was without wounds, though- especially her arms, which were covered in bandages. At her feet, another creature was resting: a little dressed-up pig, held in place by four iron chains at each of its legs. Genkuro pitied the woman for ending up in such an accursed place, but considering how this was the memory of someone else, he couldn't do a single thing about her situation.

So, he walked on. The hallway ended with a heavily-reinforced door, which opened up with surprising ease. From a distance, the heavy steel door seemed to be impenetrable, as if it contained the most dangerous prisoner of all. But instead, Genkuro walked into a laboratory. There were screens, folders, loose papers, and a plethora of otherworldly machinery; Genkuro couldn't really fathom what it was that he saw. However, he did notice a blonde woman who was pinned to the wall. Bound by iron bars which granted her not even an inch of movement space, the woman seemed to be one of the man's favored testing subjects. Her left arm was entirely removed, and Genkuro saw it lying on a nearby table, drenched in water so that it would be conserved properly.

The poor woman seemed sickly, but with all the machinery surrounding her, there was no way for her to die. Again, Genkuro regretted that he could do nothing but watch. Her blonde hair was a mess, and the blouse she wore was in an equally bad shape. Even Genkuro couldn't look past her large breasts, which seemed to rival what Tayuya and Temari had together, though much more saggy when compared to them. But that was to be expected, as she appeared to be far older. In fact, part of him even wondered why Orochimaru was experimenting on such on old lady. Genkuro sighed. "I'm sorry, if I knew where you were, I would rescue you, but I don't. I don't even _when _this is."

Again, Genkuro decided to keep moving. If he watched this poor woman for too long, he knew he'd get angry again. He felt disgusted that a human being could do something like this to another human being. Then again, this was the same abominable snake who had hijacked the kind white-eyed girl's body.

Genkuro tried to ignore some of the brutal things he saw: experiments on people, where limbs were added, or a corpse, cut open with chirurgic perfection, revealing all the organs and muscle tissue which were usually hidden from the eye, which were meant to remain hidden. But Genkuro steeled his resolve, even when his heart felt heavy, and kept walking with a firm pace. Following the candles. Until he entered a room where…

"Welcome," the true form of Orochimaru was hiding in the room. Genkuro had seen him before, but the creature within Tayuya's mind had been feeble compared to this. This was a gruesome giant white snake, composed of many smaller snakes, with a hideously deformed figure of Orochimaru's head on top of it.

"I had expected you to get lost in this vast maze," Orochimaru hissed. "It would have been more convenient if you had just slowly lost your energy in the maze. But in spite of my preparation, it would seem you took the shortest route to this place. How curious… It would almost seem that you were guided," the snake turned around, and looked intently at the only other somewhat conscious being in the room.

The room was far bigger than Genkuro had initially guessed. But, considering the content, it was difficult to estimate exactly how large it was. The room was covered by some kind of flesh. Fleshy heaps grew everywhere, varying in size, but a few stood out. These larger heaps contained the souls of Orochimaru's past victims. In this horrible jutsu, the Fushi Tensei, Orochimaru reincarnated himself while using the living flesh and soul of another, forming a living 'corpse', although that word was not quite right. Then again, how else would one describe it, when the soul of the victim was basically trapped forever? The victim surrendered more than just their bodies; once the ceremony was completed, their souls themselves were forever bound to Orochimaru.

It was then Genkuro saw her. The white-eyed girl, she been amongst those who were trapped. Still alive, in a sense, seemingly unaware of everything, she noticed more than Orochimaru had anticipated. Only the current host would still have some awareness, and that only lasted as long as Orochimaru resided in the current body. Once drained and used up, Orochimaru would just leave the body, and find a new host.

"…Yes, it all makes sense now," Orochimaru whispered. "Your unfathomable power, your appearance, and the way you were guided to this place, even when you were supposed to end up being lost for all eternity. It would seem that little Hinata-chan saw it even sooner than I did. No doubt she had a change of heart again, the feeble girl.."

Orochimaru's laughter filled the silent halls, and Genkuro watched impassively. '_So her name is Hinata. It… it feels right. I think it is true.__'_

"I never anticipated that you would return so soon though, and especially not in this shape. If I had, I would have taken Karin-chan with me. But it matters little, Kyuubi, because in this hall I am invulnerable. In here, I am God!"

"Kyuubi?" Genkuro frowned. "Nine tails? What… Why are you calling me that?"

"You perished along with that boy, yet you reformed even sooner than the Ichibi," Orochimaru smirked. "And here I thought that the number of tails would determine how long it would take for you to re-form."

"I… died?"

"You do not remember?" Orochimaru chuckled. "Oh my, this is priceless. The most powerful creature in the world, unfortunate enough to be reborn as a human, and now you are trapped within me. How glorious! Now all that remains for me is to figure out how I can extract your power, and then neither Akatsuki or that crippled fool of a Hokage will be able to hinder my plans!"

"Akatsuki?" Genkuro didn't understand. But now that he thought about it, he didn't care either.

"Tis the group that wanted to capture you, Kyuubi- and all your brothers and sisters," Orochimaru gloated. Genkuro paused at the mention that he had siblings, and Orochimaru knew it. "I suppose you must have felt lonely. Is that why you joined those other two outcasts? Not that they would have defended you for long. Zetsu would have tracked you down, and Tobi would not have allowed Pein to loiter around for too long if he had known that the mighty Kyuubi was still vulnerable. But I have far better plans for you. That ungodly statue is a waste for a creature of your power and ability."

Genkuro glared at the snake. His eyes were still pitch black, with those fiery vertical slits cut through. His body was untarnished, though it seemed that even subconsciously, Genkuro hated clothing. All he wore was his pants, nothing more. At least some of Temari's explanation had settled in Genkuro's head, because he clearly did not love this snake. So he had to wear his pants.

Orochimaru, however, had made a crucial mistake. Genkuro was there, but when the snake lashed out, its teeth went straight though Genkuro. This was Hinata's mind. Or Orochimaru's. Genkuro didn't know where one ended and the other begun. After all, they had been joined by this unnatural jutsu. But Genkuro was not part of this being. As such, he could neither influence, nor be influenced.

All Genkuro could do was watch and interact, and he wanted to do just that: interact. To know who this girl, who was trapped in the fleshy cocoon, was. Why she stared at him, with tears running down her cheeks. "Hinata… I don't know who you are, but you know me," Genkuro mumbled. "Please… Please tell me."

Something moved him. Something told Genkuro that he had to touch her head, some instinct of sorts, he didn't know, but he did it. The horrible fleshy world vanished.

* * *

Genkuro blinked. For a moment, he had been blinded, but it was but a moment. When he opened his eyes again, he could see where he had ended up this time. There was a pleasant summer sun warming him, the fresh smell of the forest… Once again, Genkuro found himself in a clearing surrounded by trees, and he saw the three poles he had seen in his dream. This was the same familiar place. It was a training ground where he had met Hinata in his dream.

"N-Naruto-kun…"

Hesitantly, a girl with long, indigo hair, stood in front of him. She was tiny, compared to him. Yet, she was several years older than the Hinata he had seen in his dream.

"You… Hinata? Where is-" Genkuro couldn't finish what he was saying, as the girl had rushed towards him, embracing him, crying against his bare chest. Awkwardly, Genkuro returned the hug, attempting to comfort the girl as well as he could.

After a few minutes, Genkuro tried again. What she said had unnerved him somehow. "Naruto?"

Her teary white eyes stared up, at his face. Just looking at him seemed to calm him, and with a serene smile she touched his face. "I'm sorry, Naruto-kun… I thought you had died. I saw your… I attended your funeral."

"Who is… Am I Naruto?" Genkuro was confused. The name, it sounded familiar somehow.

"You are," Hinata's kindness confused Genkuro a little. He had seen her in his dreams, but she had seemed so hesitant to him. It was almost as if she had been afraid of him. But right now, there hardly was any hesitation left in her, no fear.

"I… I don't know," Genkuro admitted. "I woke up… fire… I never…" He wanted to put to words how he had felt, what he had felt, but he could not. It was an impossibility, an unexplainable event. How could he tell her that he was born in flames? Born without even knowing how to shape a proper body? "Perhaps I am… I have dreams, but I do not remember. I once… I saw you. You said something to me, you told me that I was a proud failure, and I knew that you were important to me, that what you said was important to me.. But I do not know…"

"I know," Hinata smiled. "I saw it. I felt it, the moment you entered his mind. I don't know how you did it, Naruto-kun, but I could see that it was you. Even _he_ misunderstood, though, I can barely believe it myself as well."

"Can you tell me? Who I am?"

"You are Uzumaki Naruto," Hinata sat down, leaning against one of the three poles. She still had a blush on her face, but the tears had stopped flowing. "You are… or were, I don't know," Hinata frowned a bit. "You are a genin of Konohagakure no Sato. You were my classmate, my… my idol."

"Idol?" Genkuro wondered. "From what little I have seen in my dreams, I seemed to think that I was rather stupid."

"You were a bit goofy at times," Hinata giggled cheerfully. "Always creating chaos in the village with your pranks. You once painted the entire Hokage monument in clear daylight. You even managed to elude the anbu who tried to capture you, that day when you put a skunk in their dressing room…"

"Sounds like I was a lot of fun," Genkuro chuckled. "Though, skunks are rather smelly."

"I think that was the point, Naruto-kun… Erm, y-you didn't do it for fun, though. You were lonely… very lonely. It was why I admired you so much," Hinata confessed. "I never had any courage, always doubted myself, and yet here you were… You had it even worse than me, practically everyone hated you because you were the jinchuriki of the Kyuubi, and yet you endured everything: all the hardships, all the pain. Where I stumbled and failed, you walked on without giving anyone the pleasure of seeing any weakness," Hinata smiled fondly at Genkuro. "I admired that, because I wanted to be able to endure it as well."

"Were you hated too?" Genkuro asked with more than a little disbelief. "You seemed to be so kind. So caring. How could anyone-"

"I was the heiress of the Hyuga clan," Hinata said bitterly. "My father demanded strength, not kindness. He wished to see skill, not that I cared about other people. I was a failure. That was why my family remained distant to me. And why I was eventually cast away. Because I was unwanted, a weakling and a failure, where my younger sister was everything my father wished to see. That is how I ended up with him- with Orochimaru."

"How could any father do such a thing to his own daughter?" Genkuro exclaimed. He had heard things from Temari, how her father had acted, and now he heard Hinata's story. Both were in stark contrast with what the monk had told him, about how families were supposed to function, the role of the father, the mother, the elder and younger siblings. None of it was right.

"Father put the demands of the clan before his own family," Hinata sighed. "As a clan head was supposed to do, or so he would say. And Danzo, the Godaime Hokage of Konoha, he used me as a bargaining chip. My family got rid of me, Orochimaru got his hands on my dojutsu, and Danzo bought himself an alliance."

She seemed so sad, so fragile… Genkuro moved over, sitting next to her, and put an arm around her. He wanted to see her smile again, to hear her giggle. She shouldn't be like this, not this sad, this dejected. '_She deserves better.__'_

"Thank you, Naruto-kun. It is acts like these which prove to me that, even when you cannot remember, you are still you," Hinata smiled, although still sorrowful. "Orochimaru put the cursed seal on me, and slowly started to manipulate me. I didn't see it at the time, I only saw it when it was already too late. And perhaps he was right. Perhaps my mother was killed because of me, perhaps you really did die because Konoha refused to train you properly, but still… I had lost hope. I had given up- on me, on the world, on everything. You were the one thing in my life that gave me hope, Naruto-kun. You showed me that even outcasts like us could rise up, improve themselves. I believed that you would become Hokage. I was so certain of it… and then you died. Or so I thought."

"How did I… How did I die?" Genkuro felt a little disturbed that he was asking about his own death. But in the larger view on things, his fate had mattered little to himself. What happened to Hinata hurt him far more, especially because he felt responsible for causing it, even if he couldn't remember a single thing about it.

"It was during the Chunin Exams. Where we could be promoted from genin to chunin," Hinata explained. "I had already failed during the preliminaries, but you made it to the finals. You fought my cousin Neji, and defeated him. Even when Neji-niisan was more talented, and considered one of the greatest prodigies our clan had seen in decades, he lost to your incredible determination," Hinata smiled at the memory. "It was supposed to be your day of triumph, but instead… instead our village was attacked. Two other villages had launched an attack, and during the chaos you were ordered to track down and defeat the jinchuriki of the other village."

"You talked about it before, but what is a jinchuriki?"

"A jinchuriki… There are nine bijuu, tailed beasts, in our world. These creatures are incredibly strong, so strong that it is said that they can defeat entire armies. Because they were so strong, mankind hunted them down, and sealed the creatures away. When you were a baby, the Kyuubi, the most powerful of all the bijuu, was sealed inside you," Hinata explained. "That was why everyone hated you. Not because of you, but because of the demon which was sealed within you."

Genkuro frowned, not really understanding what Hinata had just explained, but he decided to let it pass. All this talk about demons, monsters, and sacrifices confused him. Besides, Hinata had continued talking, and he didn't want to interrupt her all the time with his stupid questions. He trusted that Temari would know these things too.

"But Gaara, the jinchuriki of the Ichibi, had received training. Even when the Ichibi should be inferior to the Kyuubi, Gaara was stronger- because no one in Konoha had trained you properly. You tried so hard, Naruto-kun… but Gaara managed to defeat you. You, Sakura-san, and Sasuke-san, you were all killed when Gaara released the Ichibi," Hinata looked downtrodden. "It was a mission no jonin should ever have asked of you. They just sent you to your death… And when you died, there were many who celebrated it as a victory." Hinata's sorrow changed into an anger which Genkuro never expected of her. "They threw you away, just like my clan threw me away. I wanted to avenge you, Naruto-kun. I… I know it was wrong. I knew I shouldn't have given in to Orochimaru's whispers, but I could not let them get away with what they did to you."

An uncomfortable silence fell, where Hinata struggled to regain her composure, and Genkuro pondered about the many things he had learned. '_Uzumaki Naruto. Temari named me Genkuro, but I suppose I should refer to me as Naruto now? I don__'__t know… Even when I know I am Naruto, I don__'__t feel that way. I don__'__t remember him at all. Myself, I mean. He feels like a completely different person. I am Genkuro. I may have been Naruto, but it is not who I am today, is it? Although, his memories are somewhere within me. I know that. That is what is filling my dreams!__'_

"Naruto-kun?"

"Hinata?"

"I-I am sorry," she mumbled. "If I had known that you would return, that you were still alive, then I somehow…. If I had known that, I would never have given in. And now that I see you again, it is already too late."

"Too late? Why is it too late? Hinata, if I transfer my-"

"No!" Hinata hushed him with a finger on his lips. "You cannot save me, Naruto-kun. His jutsu, it means that his soul and my own are connected. And while we are here, he has realized where you have gone. But he cannot enter this deeper level of my consciousness, not yet. But nevertheless he would manage to trap you…"

"Hinata, I can-"

"Ever since he took over my body, I discovered how my inner world functions. I know what he is about to do, Naruto-kun," Hinata smiled weakly. She stood up, and looked up at the sunny skies which filled this mental projection of a world she had once enjoyed living in. "He is going to abandon my body. When he does, my soul and my body are separated, and I will be as good as dead," Hinata sighed, though she managed to smile when Genkuro stood up next to her. "My soul would be trapped in his world, but without the connection to my body I would be reduced to some sort of comatose condition. For as long as he lives, I would be trapped in his inner world, unable to live, unable to die. But that doesn't matter right now. I was the one who agreed to his offer, so it is a price I have to pay. The ritual was completed, so I cannot stop him. But if you remain here with me, you will be trapped as well. I cannot let that happen, Naruto-kun. You matter more to me than my own life."

She smiled, and even though she knew she had no right to do it, no right to say it, she knew that this was the only chance she had, the last. It was why she had been braver than ever before, speaking her mind where she otherwise would have remained silent. She wanted to tell him, to show him. So she leaned towards him. "You are more important to me than my life, Naruto-kun, because… because I love you."

Frozen, with his mind and emotions scrambled and falling over each other in an attempt to process the situation, Genkuro felt how Hinata kissed him. He kissed her back. It was instinctual, but even in this world such things could not be done without consequence. Whether it was seconds, hours, or years, Genkuro didn't know how long their lips were locked. And through their kiss, their souls touched, for this world was not the physical world, and his body not like any other. So he felt it all, her suffering, her pain, how her heart had been broken. He saw how she had tried, how she had failed, how she had eventually had given in.

But above everything else, he felt her love.

In all her awkward attempts, Temari had never even been close to putting the emotion into words, and Genkuro knew that it could never be done. This was too intense, too bright, and too profound. Such a thing could never be expressed in something as inadequate as 'words'.

But for all her love, he felt one more thing. Hinata wanted him to be happy, she wished for him to find some solace after all the pain he endured. Because, while he saw her heart, she also felt his. She saw the halls of shattered mirrors. She felt the unfathomable pain that it had caused. She saw how little of him had survived, and how much had yet to be reborn. With all her heart, she wished she could have been there for him, wished that it had been her who helped him through this ordeal.

But it would not be her role to fulfill. She had sold her body and soul for the vengeance which Orochimaru had promised, and now she had no choice but to pay the price. Only she would pay it, not Naruto, not Genkuro. "Goodbye, Naruto-kun," she whispered, while pushing him away. She pushed him out of her consciousness, out of her body, out of her soul. With all the willpower she had, she pushed him away, pushed him to safety, pushed him back on the path of his new life.

"I saw your heart, Naruto-kun. Whatever happens to me, I will be happy because I know that you loved me. But that was only you, Naruto-kun. Genkuro is more than just you. And his heart already belongs to another… even if he doesn't realize it yet."

The last thing Genkuro saw, was Hinata with a lone tear, with a genuine and serene smile, waving him goodbye.

* * *

Orochimaru's body slumped down lifelessly, and Genkuro just stood there, panting, hyperventilating, seemingly on the edge of insanity. Jiraiya could feel the temperatures fluctuating in this complete madness, even when he had made quite some ground while the two combatants had stood there in their strange standoff. But this pandemonium of chakra affected everything.

The great white snake had erupted, escaping the body of the Hyuga he had occupied. And Genkuro fell to his knees, holding the corpse of the Hyuga. And if Jiraiya wasn't mistaken, he saw tears. Tears of liquid flame, glowing a magma-like red, flowed out of the slit black orbs which were Genkuro's eyes.

"How noble," the giant white snake chuckled with a mocking voice. "She let you escape, even when she knew her own soul was forfeit. Foolish girl. I was so close…"

Genkuro ignored the snake, instead focusing on Hinata. "I'm sorry, Hinata. If Naruto… if I hadn't died, you would not have suffered _this_." He adjusted her body, making sure she would at least lie there properly, respectfully, rather than the way she had crumpled down after Orochimaru had escaped from her body.

But in all his sadness, Genkuro felt one more thing. Rage. "DIE!" he lashed out, his fist unstoppable, and tore the white snake apart. With bare hands, he ripped off the head, and crushed it. The many snakes which together formed the body of the giant, they were torn and burnt, molten and frozen. In a mad fury, Genkuro slaughtered Orochimaru.

And yet the laughter sounded. The body fluids from the giant white snake vaporized when they were exposed to the air, numbing Genkuro. And through the blood, Orochimaru reached his goal. Even when Genkuro did not have the cursed seal to strengthen the link, the jutsu would still work. Orochimaru would still invade his mind and his body.

Exactly as Hinata had warned…

* * *

"I win… Kyuubi," the giant snake hissed. Looking around, Orochimaru was surprised that he wasn't in the realm which he had created, but rather in a vast hall. It was damp and dark, and Orochimaru could barely see how large it was. But the oddest thing of all were the shards. Shards beyond counting lay in the floor of this hall.

Curiously, Orochimaru slithered around, looking for the Kyuubi. '_This isn__'__t the separate dimension that I should have ended up in. Then again, he didn__'__t have the cursed seal, so the results were hard to predict. Nevertheless, when I find the Kyuubi, I shall trap it. Escaping him in the physical world may have been impossible, but down here I have the advantage!__'_

But Orochimaru had to be careful. The shards, they weren't made of any regular glass. Whenever he touched a sliver, Orochimaru felt the pain soaring through this spectral body of his. He had to endure it, though. There was a door at the end of the hall. Undoubtedly this was where 'Genkuro', the new incarnation of the Kyuubi no Yoko, was located.

The door, however, led to a small hall. It seemed more like a sewer than a hall. The walls were covered with all kinds of tubes, and there were many doors to be seen, all composed differently. Some carried symbols, while others were made of peculiar materials such as bone or wood. But behind each door, the same vast hall could be found. And each of these dark halls were filled with shards. In one or two, Orochimaru saw something of interest, but when he approached these peculiar things, they turned out to be strange objects akin to mirrors. It was as if the surrounding shards had merged and re-formed into those mirrors.

Or was it the other way around, and had all these shards once been mirrors? Orochimaru didn't know. He had never encountered anything like this, never found any reference to something similar, despite all his decades of intense research.

Slowly, Orochmaru slithered through the halls. After the wooden door, behind which he had seen a few intact mirrors, only one door remained. This door had a symbol on it which Orochimaru knew very well: the swirling symbol of the Uzumaki clan. '_Why is the Kyuubi… Wait, the last jinchuriki of the Kyuubi was that Uzumaki boy… so that was why the girl reacted that strongly!__'_

In this last hall, a muted light illuminated the mirrors, making it slightly brighter than the past halls. Still, it had the same damp and oppressive atmosphere as all the other halls. But Orochimaru saw more mirrors, many more. And where in the other halls, the mirrors had been pitch black, these mirrors showed something.

"Don't you think you're wandering in the wrong hall?" a voice stopped Orochimaru from approaching these softly glowing mirrors.

"Kyuubi… I was wondering where you were hiding," Orochimaru chuckled.

"I am not the Kyuubi, human," Genkuro responded coldly, and he turned around, leaving the hall. Pursuing his prey, Orochimaru slithered after what he thought was a man-shaped demon, but passing through the doorway did not take him back to the sewer-like path which connected all the halls. No, this one took him to a different hall. Bleakly lit, filled with the stench of death and decay.

"What…"

"Welcome to your hall, Orochimaru," Genkuro showed up right behind Orochimaru, startling the snake. "It took you longer than I expected. Then again, it was to be expected that a person like you would have trouble finding his true self."

"You're… You are lying," Orochimaru hesitated. But he saw nothing but the truth in Genkuro's slit dark eyes. Orochimaru tried to attack, but somehow he had become unable to move. His doubts quickly turned to fear. This thing before him was no bijuu, but neither was this Genkuro truly human. He never had been, not since he was reborn. Orochimaru had invaded a soul which wasn't human any longer, even if Genkuro had designed this body in order to appear like a regular human, he was not a being bound by mortality.

A mere mortal like Orochimaru would never be able control a soul which was beyond the limitations of life and death. For all his knowledge, Orochimaru only now started to see the folly of his decision. Only now did he discern the true power of Genkuro. It wasn't physical energy, or mental energy, or natural energy. It wasn't even the energy which had formed and shaped the indomitable bijuu. It was more. It was everything.

'_Is this the origin?__'_ Orochimaru wondered. This was what he had yearned to know, all the answers to his questions: the _key_. Now that he found it, he discovered that it was out of his reach.

With one move of his hand, Genkuro created a barrier that trapped the great white snake. Barriers caged Orochimaru. They were thin as glass, yet as unbreakable as the unyielding spirit of Uzumaki Naruto himself. "This is your soul, Orochimaru," Genkuro gestured to the vast hall with the bleakly glowing mirrors. "Your hall of memories."

Genkuro walked to the nearest of the mirrors, and smashed it. Orochimaru howled out in pain. When the mirror broke, he felt like he himself had been torn asunder. "And each mirror represents a shard of it," Genkuro continued mercilessly as Orochimaru lay suffering on the ground, writhing in the aftershocks of the intolerable agony. "Before I allow you to die, I am going to destroy you- just as I was destroyed, the day I was born. You will be sent to the afterlife with no recollection of your former self."

"Y-you can't… No one can-"

"I am not like anyone," Genkuro hissed. "And for what you did to Hinata-chan, for what you did to all those people who you consumed in your mad quest for immortality, you deserve to suffer the worst possible fate. Hinata-chan showed me how much you valued knowledge. How you were striving to learn every jutsu in existence. Relish the knowledge you possessed, Orochimaru, because I will not allow you to keep it. I will erase you."

But before Genkuro would continue, he first needed to do one other thing. They were here too. Somewhere within this mirror maze. Genkuro would find them, and release their souls. After all her suffering, Genkuro wished for Hinata to be free. Even he did not know what to expect from the world of the dead, he was cynical about the stories the monks had told him, but Genkuro was convinced that any merciful god would provide her the peace she deserved in the afterlife.

Caged within the unbreakable barriers, Orochimaru could do nothing but watch, watch how Genkuro would destroy him. He would helplessly see how every shard of the snake's soul would be eradicated. No matter how much he would suffer, no matter how badly he would desire to end the pain of being torn asunder, Genkuro would not allow Orochimaru to die. Genkuro would never allow him to escape that easily.

After all the horrendous acts which Orochimaru had committed in his life, he deserved not even the tiniest amount of pity.

* * *

Oblivious to the outside world, Genkuro just stood there in the center of all the destruction that he and Orochimaru had caused. He was stock-still, immovable as a mountain. Due to the difference in the flow of time between his inner and outer world, Genkuro held a blank expression for minutes, only for it to change into a sad smile. He had dreamt of her. He had found her. He had talked to her. And now… now he had granted her the freedom she deserved, freed her from eternal torment within Orochimaru's vile soul. Perhaps… perhaps his former self was there as well, in the afterlife. Yes, Genkuro liked that thought. He wanted her to have her wish fulfilled, to be at peace.

"Goodbye, Hinata-chan…"

* * *

_Author's notes_:

* * *

*Author seeks refuge in the basement from angered mob of readers*

There were those who asked me to save Hinata, and there were also those wanted me _not_ to go down the NaruHina path. So I knew that there was no possible way I could please everyone. Then again, I think the very first chapter already made it clear that this fic isn't aimed at easy fanservice. Whether it gets hated or loved, I enjoyed writing the chapter! Though obviously, every author wants his story to be loved... Ah well, all I can say is that I wrote from the heart.

Genkuro will have quite the amount of pain to cope with now. His fragile state of mind might become a danger to others. Or would it be an opportunity? You'll find out next chapter! Credits to **Illuminated** for his beta work, and fixing all the little mistakes.

Too lighten the mood a bit, I am honored to present you an omake written by **RandomOTP**. Interaction with you readers has always been a fun thing, but to see it resulting in someone writing material for me… Well, it is another milestone in my 'career' as fanfiction writer! Please enjoy RandomOTP's "**Passing the Will of Fire**!"

* * *

-Z-

* * *

**Passing the Will of Fire**

* * *

Genkuro woke up in a cold sweat and, in the predawn's weak light, he could see that Temari and Tayuya curled up to him, sharing in the warmth that Genkuro so naturally exuded. For a moment, Genkuro tried to relax and let their deep, rhythmic breathing calm him down, as it had before. But it wouldn't today, not this morning. This morning, Genkuro's heart rampaged inside of him, and the room they shared in the fire temple felt far smaller than it had been when they went to sleep.

Unable to remain still, Genkuro slipped out of bed slowly, and did so with a gentle grace that would be the envy of many shinobi, so that he wouldn't wake the two people precious to him. Though he didn't know why it always took so long for them for them, Temari and Tayuya still needed more rest to restore their warmth. It was then that he walked into the surrounding forest to watch the sun rise. It was familiar. It reminded him of something. There was something about the rising sun resonated with Genkuro. It seemed to vaguely remind him of training. Of heads, stone, and mountains. And, after a brief hesitation, Genkuro also added "toads" to the list. He didn't know why, though, and that frustrated him.

Genkuro stood by the roots of one of the larger trees, with his back to the temple. Watching the sky, he tried to distract himself from the fragmented shards that had bombarded him while he slumbered. The early morning sky, cast in great streaks of golden and red hues, helped to distract Genkuro from his dreams. Those taunting dreams, which kept pointing out the incompleteness of his own memories –torturing him with their hints, whispered just low enough that he couldn't hear what they said.

As Genkuro watched the sun rise, the distinction between the various shades of red and gold faded. A cloud, cast in a blood-red hue by the rising sun, was shaped vaguely like the foxes that he had seen, darting this way and that, in the forest surrounding the temple. Genkuro could feel their warmth, resting and smoldering to regain their zeal –not dissimilar to the warmth of his still-slumbering friends.

Genkuro watched the sunrise sky with a new interest, focusing on the oddly-shaped cloud. It seemed similar to something. Not exactly familiar in the passingly unclear way that Temari had once been, but it seemed familiar in the way that the pervert was: like a forgotten, once-treasured dream. Through his musings, an early morning drop of dew fell from a leaf over his head, and landed on the damp forested floor, making the smallest of dripping sounds.

_Drip . . . drip . . . the echoes reverberated within the dark place. Blood-red eyes, filled with a type of fiery warmth that hungered with an insatiable urge to destroy and to break, to burn and to immolate. To consume and to raze the world to the ground. The hunger was ancient in its desire, and as old as the blindingly white-hot warmth that it originated from. _

_The dripping continued, echoing in the place until it faded into nothingness…_

A sudden crack brought Genkuro out of his musings. As he turned to see what had caused the sound of splintering wood, his eyes fell on Jiraiya.

Jiraiya slowly got off the ground, muttering incoherently as he picked splinters out of his face and shoulders. He had walked by to see how Genkuro was sleeping. The kid hadn't been sleeping well, and he reminded Jiraiya far too much of Naruto for him not to be worried for the mysterious youngster. How was it his fault that the toad sage had stumbled on to some premium research material? It was a gift from Kami that he had found Tayuya and Temari, both very beautiful konoichi, sleeping with each other, arms wrapped around one another. How was he expected to pass such an opportunity up? Unfortunately for him, Kami must have a sense of humor, with Temari waking up just as the legendary pervert had gotten out his pen . . .

The sannin's line of thought was dismissed as he saw the face of Genkuro looking at him. Inwardly, Jiraiya sighed. If it weren't for the orbs of flame spiraling within the gaki's eye sockets, Genkuro could have been a carbon copy of Naruto. This of course, had led to suspicions that itched in the back of his mind. Part of Jiraiya, the part that had once been a spymaster, said that Genkuro might be Naruto. After all, when did jinchuuriki ever follow the rules? Apparently, even the rules of life and death would bend for the jailers.

Smothering the thought, the sannin took a closer look at the young man's face. Genkuro had a look of uneasy contemplation on his face, as though he were thinking troubled thoughts. Jiraiya had seen the look before. Naruto had days where the burden of being the Kyuubi's jinchuuriki wore on him, and would often have that look on his face. But his deceased apprentice would never let it show whenever anyone might be watching. And even then, never more than a fleeting second. After that, the mask of a loudmouth fool would be put back on, and the day would continue as usual. For Jiraiya, those moments broke his heart.

Cleaning up his nosebleed before Genkuro could ask Jiraiya how he had it (or more concerning, _who_ had given it to him) he strode over to the side of the troubled enigma. Genkuro merely watched the sun rise, his thoughts on less pleasant things.

Jiraiya, with his face angled toward the sunrise but his eyes on Genkuro, put a tentative hand on his shoulder. "What's wrong?" Jiraiya asked. His voice was soft and concerned, reflecting a seriousness that the pervert didn't often show.

Genkuro didn't take his eyes off the sunrise. A pale blue began to take shape, forming within the small spaces where the red and golden hues had begun to fade. The sage's warmth felt gentle, a concerned warmth. It was like a campfire, in a way. But the concern also had a bitter guilt that was oddly twisted and conjoined with a proud joy.

One caused the other, Genkuro guessed, but they were so intertwined that he could not tell which caused which. And he could feel that the sannin's concern, too, was connected to the strange mixture, yet separate. Genkuro didn't understand, but he decided to speak. The pervert was trustworthy, after a fashion. How he knew this, he didn't know. He just did.

"I remembered," Genkuro began. "A hungering inferno of heat. It was hungry for the world, for the plants, and for everything. But the blaze was used to protect a safer warmth, a peaceful warmth. The two could not have existed near to each other, but they did- and they were pained."

Jiraiya looked at the enigmatic teenager with a pondering look. The kid was confused, troubled even. And frankly, so was he. Hunger . . . that sounded like the corrupted seals his fellow sannin had developed. But it could also mean one of the bijuu.

Was Genkuro connected to Orochimaru in some way? The jinchuuriki? The questions piled up, and none of them seemed to have an answer.

'_But Genkuro obviously thinks this "__hunger__" is wrong. Evil, even,__'_ Jiraiya thought. '_Maybe he__'__s debating on it was right to use such a vile power to protect? Or is it even possible, for that matter? Does he know__…' _The pervert sat down, silent, his mind wandering back to the days of his youth. Chasing after Tsunade . . . bickering with Orochimaru, before he had . . . Minato, the one he had bonded with, and felt a fatherly protectiveness for . . .

Genkuro glanced at the super-pervert. Jiraiya's expression softened into a look of tenderness as he looked to the young man beside him. "Tell me, kid," Jiraiya asked, his voice so quiet that the morning breeze almost carried it away. "Have you heard of the Will of Fire?"

Genkuro looked at the sannin, confused. The name explained itself. The Will of Fire. It seemed obvious, so he did what Tayuya did when things were obvious. Genkuro snorted. "Yes, pervert," he drawled in a scarily accurate interpretation of Tayuya when she was annoyed.

Jiraiya blinked, surprised. Then, after roaring in laughter, the toad sage told Genkuro to explain what it was, that he would clarify any "inevitable errors." Inwardly, the sannin tensed. He had taught Naruto about the Shodaime's Will of Fire, so if Genkuro already knew of it . . .

The blond walked up to a fallen tree, its bark had begun to rot off, decaying back into the earth. Genkuro blinked his fiery eyes, and the log erupted into his unique brand of flame. The fire quickly turned the free to ash upon the forest floor, and soon, even that was devoured by the fire. With its fuel gone, Genkuro brought his flames back to himself, where they vanished into his skin.

Genkuro turned to Jiraiya, smiling in pride. "I have fire," he explained, gesturing to where the fallen tree had once been, "And it was moved by my will." Jiraiya looked to Genkuro with a mixture of disappointment and mirth. Why did he always have to take things so literally?

The pervert shook his head. "No, the Will of Fire is not some sort of kekkei genkai," the sage deadpanned, causing Genkuro's smile to fade into a look of confusion.

"Warmth, then. Your warmth keeps changing. Does it have to do with your warmth?" Genkuro asked, sure he had found the answer this time.

Jiraiya sighed. '_This may take a while._'


	13. Christmas Omake

**Pareidolia**

* * *

**Omake**

**Christmas celebrations**

* * *

"_Christmas is the season for kindling the fire of hospitality in the hall, the genial flame of charity in the heart."_

― Washington Irving

* * *

"So… why are we renting this place for several days again?"

"Did you get everything at the market, Tayuya?"

"Oy, Bimbo, I asked you a damn question!"

"Isn't it obvious?" Temari frowned. The civilian village was close to the Fire Temple, and a perfect place for what Temari had in mind. Namely, she wished to observe a holiday that was not celebrated among the monks. Yo not insult them any further than Tayuya already did (on a daily basis), Temari had decided to take a break in training and to rent a small lodging in town.

"Candles, booze, decorative shit, and… wait, I think I heard of this before," Tayuya mused. She now saw the little tree that Temari had dragged into their temporary 'home'.

"Eh?" the discussion went completely over Genkuro's head. Temari said: buy this, so he had done as commanded. Or at least, he helped Tayuya buy everything on the list. Still, he had no clue what this was about. Why would anyone drag a tree indoors, and a tiny one at that? Not to mention that the entire premise of candles had been lost on him. No matter how Tayuya tried to tell him that they were meant to slowly burn and give light, the darned things just seemed so utterly redundant to Genkuro.

"You're getting your air-headed ass in line and follow me," Tayuya snapped. "We'll need food if we want to do this properly, right?"

The blonde kunoichi smiled and nodded, giving Genkuro the little push he needed to get outside and follow their rambunctious red-haired friend. '_She'll probably outdo herself again. I still can't understand how someone so completely rude and uncivilized can be such an excellent chef. Her talent for cooking isn't something she could've cultivated while serving Orochimaru either. It must be a gift from the gods…'_

* * *

"What is this?"

"I tried to tell you," Temari sighed. "Just light the candles. Nothing more."

Genkuro shrugged, and lifted his arms.

"No! Only the candles!" Temari exclaimed. "Only light the candles, don't burn down the tree!"

"She just spent an hour decorating the bloody thing, ya retard!" Tayuya chimed in, slapping him on the back of his head.

"But why?"

"We're going to celebrate Christmas, idiot!"

"Tayuya is right," Temari nodded, when he looked at her in a state of utter confusion.

"What is thirst-miss?" he blinked, which was a rather peculiar sight with the flaming orbs which acted as his eyes.

"Christmas," Tayuya grunted. "The day of the year when we celebrate that some bloke was born a long time ago, by indulging ourselves in presents and food. We decorate our houses with all kinds of pointless shit, compete with neighbors regarding who has the most of that pointless shit outdoors, and sing all kinds of crappy songs. Can't say I ever celebrated it in my life, but it sounds like fun."

"You really make it sound like fun, right," Temari deadpanned. "Can't you be a little bit more respectful on days like these?"

"What? I didn't say the pointless materialistic crap wasn't fun. I rather enjoy all the little lights. It's very cozy. And the foods… hell, I always wanted to eat a Christmas dinner!" Tayuya smiled fondly of the memory ofthe one time she had been tasked with an assassination, and had taken the time to enjoy the victim's Christmas dinner after she killed him. The red blood had barely been visible on top of his red clothes. Although, the white beard was rather stained by it, not that Tayuya could care. For some reason Orochimaru had disliked the chubby bearded fellow, ranting something about coal. '_I still don't have a goddamn clue why he hated coal that much. He hated it even more than those cheerful songs…'_

"Christmas isn't just about gifts or decorations," Temari sighed. "It is the feeling! The decorations, the scents and fragrances, the foods- the entire atmosphere breathes something that is out of this world," she almost seemed dreamingly, drifting away in the sparse memories she had from when her mother was still alive, and her family had still been functional. Perhaps she had been too young to realize how dysfunctional it was. Or it was before Gaara had lost his sanity – Sabaku Kyu on a Christmas tree was not a very pretty sight – and her father had been a totally emotionless douchebag.

No, in the days before that, Temari remembered, she and Kankuro had been singing songs with their mother. Her mother had spent hours and hours, it had seemed so long for the impatient child, in the kitchen. Then she brought it all to the table, the most delicious feast Temari could remember. Gifts, happiness, foods- it was a warm feeling, and most likely the best memory she had of her family.

Of course, Genkuro didn't understand any of her motivations. "Food" was another in instance where he had trouble seeing the point. Absorbing energy by torching something to the ground was far more efficient, and gave much less of a mess as well.

"Listen, I can give you all of the religious reasons, but if I had to do that, we'd be stuck here for months. Just understand that these days are about families being happy together, where we celebrate our humanity, our humble and great hearts. It is about peace, about loving everyone, especially those closest to you."

"Okay!" Genkuro smiled widely, and with a flick of his fingers the candles were lit. "But what is love?"

'_Family? Warmth? Kindness?'_ Tayuya was left a little downcast by the explanation. Genkuro rummaged around, helping a busy Temari (who was especially busy at ignoring his previous question). Tayuya was left alone, absentmindedly preparing dinner. She suddenly realized she was humming the songs she had heard, all those years ago. In the one day of Christmas she had experienced in her life. '_Why would I remember those songs? It's kinda creepy, I only heard those darn things once. Why can I suddenly remember them when Bimbo is decorating the place?'_

It wasn't long before Temari dragged her from the kitchen, and ordered her to change her clothes into something more appropriate for these days. A red top and red (mini-)skirt, both with white fur-like edges, was not what Tayuya would have called 'appropriate' though. Considering that it was Temari who had bought it, it was also completely unexpected as well. Usually Tayuya was the brash one, while Temari kept things at least a little civil. '_Ah well, at least Genkuro doesn't understand any of this, so who gives a damn?'_

However, it didn't take long for Tayuya to change her mind. Temari had bought a top which was aimed for someone less gifted in the 'chest' department. In other words: Tayuya felt like her boobs were pushed up, bulging out of the narrow top. '_If this doesn't get the message across to that numbskull,'_ the redhead reconsidered, realizing the potential benefit of showing some cleavage. Even though it was less comfortable than her usual shinobi gear. Then again, she wouldn't have to do any combat in these clothes.

Getting back into the living room, Tayuya felt some feminine pride when she noticed that Temari's top wasn't half as tight as hers. Her mood soured a little when she saw that the mini-skirt had a far better effect on Temari, thought. The blonde's long gorgeous legs were shown off perfectly in this skimpy mode of dress. The red high-heeled boots made her even more attractive; Tayuya couldn't help but feel a little envy. _'Damn, why couldn't I have such legs and hips, rather than this stubby short figure?'_

"You look beautiful," Temari surprised her friend with a genuine smile.

"T-thanks. You too," Tayuya couldn't help but blush a little. Getting compliments for her looks wasn't something she was used to- at all. It got even worse when Genkuro stepped into the room. It had taken Temari quite some time to persuade him, but she had managed it. He wore his usual white pants, but rather than being bare-chested like usual, he now wore a white short-sleeved haori. It was enough to make him look like a civilized human being, but not so much clothing that Genkuro felt smothered.

His unusual elegant style of clothing made Tayuya all the more bashful. '_This isn't me. I don't belong in this kind of shit at all. I'm a criminal. A murderer. How the fuck am I supposed to celebrate something like this? I can't be that much of a hypocrite, can I?'_

"Right," Temari, oblivious to the girl's worries, smiled fondly. "I've been looking forward to this for quite some time now. I've not celebrated this properly for at least a decade."

"This Mistcras thing?" Genkuro guessed.

"Christmas," Temari corrected him. "We might be an unusual band of misfits, but at least we're celebrating this together. Tayuya, don't just stand there, get a move on. You're our chef, so serve dinner already!"

* * *

She was still in a state of mild disbelief. They had finished dinner, one where even Genkuro had complimented her for how well it tasted, and they were merrily talking to each other. '_It is almost as if we are normal human beings. Not hunted. Not broken, burdened by cursed seals. Not undead, or whatever the fuck he is. It just feels so… as if I don't have any concern in the world, this night.' _

"-yuya?"

"Eh?"

"Oh, so you're still awake?" Temari gave her a nudge. "You were staring. Everything okay?"

"Y-yeah, it's just… this all, it is weird."

"Yup."

"Shut up, Genkuro," Temari teasingly slapped him on the head. "What do you mean, weird?"

"Well… us celebrating this, almost as if we are free of any concerns. It is weird. Makes me feel weird," Tayuya admitted. "It is warm. Happy. And I don't even know…"

"Because we are family," Genkuro nodded seriously. Even though he barely had a good understanding of the word. "You said Christmas is about presents?" Tayuya nodded at his question. "Then you both being happy is enough of a present to me."

"Don't be so cheesy," Temari laughed. "You don't even know what-"

"This is you," he grabbed her by her shoulder. Temari felt a strange rush of emotions. A sort of contagious happiness that made her… "This is you," Genkuro repeated. This was how she felt, in his eyes at least. "And this is Tayuya," his other hand rested on the red haired girl's shoulder. It was a bittersweet sensation, a confusing mixture or sorrow and happiness, of elation and doubt. It almost moved Temari to tears when she realized that Tayuya felt like this. Almost, because she felt the deep shimmering hope in the girl's heart, for a better future. Together.

"This is what it means to be family, right?" Genkuro added his own happiness (although Temari noticed he still had no idea what this entire festivity meant) to the fray. "It doesn't matter where we come from, or where we are going, but this moment is perfect, so why not enjoy it as such?"

Both girls were speechless at his declaration, enough for him to drag them both in a hug. Being the first to recover her composure, Temari squeezed Tayuya's arm a little, before hugging the two of them herself as well. "You can be such a baka at times, and still end up surprising me with such wisdom. I guess you're not as much of a knucklehead as I thought you were."

"He's definitely cunning alright," Tayuya suddenly started to laugh nervously. Although, being the shortest of the three, her laughter was a bit smothered by being pressed against the others.

At first, Temari didn't know what her friend was talking about. Until she saw her pointing up.

"Mistletoe?" Temari mumbled, growing red as a tomato.

Confused, Genkuro wondered why the two suddenly broke the hug. Both sporting a similar crimson shade of blush, and a similar bashful posture. "What?" he blinked, not understanding what suddenly had troubled the two.

"B-baka!" both exclaimed at the same time, too embarrassed to explain him what he had done wrong this time.

"What?"

"Presents!" Temari changed the subject, her blushing so bright she radiated almost more than the slowly burning candles. "Presents!" Tayuya agreed, donning a similar hue. Leaving Genkuro to look at the mistletoe as if it was some kind of hostile shinobi.

* * *

In a not too distant brothel, a certain white-haired man was shaken from his nostalgic musing. '_Unless my ero-senses are completely scrambled, I'm definitely missing out on some excellent writing material,'_ was what he thought, before returning to his annual ponderings about a certain blonde woman who always kept rejecting him. Christmas made him long for the family he never got to have.

"Hello sweetie, what are you doing here all alone?"

Until a civilian woman approached him. While not blessed as much with curves as the woman he actually loved, Jiraiya couldn't help but grin back at the brunette. "You know the reason why Santa is so jolly?"

"No?" the woman was taken aback a little, though it didn't stop her from leaning a bit closer to the tall and strong man she had been looking at for most of the evening, until her sake had banished her doubts.

"It is because he knows where all the bad girls live…"

* * *

_Author's notes_:

* * *

Worst. Pickup line. Ever. xD

I'm sorry for not being able to present you with a proper chapter. I spent quite a bit of time on revamping the timeline, as the upcoming chapters are a bit delicate and I therefore deserve some more time to prepare things properly. I promise, it'll be the first thing I publish in the next year. Until then, I hope you've enjoyed this omake. **Illuminated** and I wish you all a merry Christmas and a happy new year!

* * *

-Z-


	14. We drift like worried fire

**Pareidolia**

* * *

**Chapter thirteen**

**We Drift Like Worried Fire**

* * *

"_I__'__ve been fighting to be who I am all my life. What__'__s the point of being who I am, if I can__'__t have the person who was worth all the fighting for?"_

― Stephanie Lennox, _I Don't Remember You_

* * *

"Goodbye, Hinata-chan..."

After mumbling that, Genkuro sank through his knees. '_Neji… What have I done?__'_ he looked up at the skies. He did not remember the young man, but he had seen him through Hinata. The entire world just moved on, indifferent to his actions, indifferent to what had occurred. But now, Genkuro knew that he had once known Neji, that he should have remembered him. The other anbu, the girl, she had been an acquaintance of Uzumaki Naruto as well. '_They died… Why couldn__'__t I remember them sooner? Why can__'__t I, even now?__'_

His eyes were still dark. Pitch black, like obsidian, but when the fifth brand showed up, Genkuro's eyes had changed. Slit, like that of a predator. And in those vertical fissures, the inner fire of Genkuro was shown to the world. Literally, as bright flames were blazing through. But as Genkuro was overtaken by grief, his rage subsided and the fiery pupils widened, the blackened eyes cracked and broke.

While tears were still flowing out, glowing and red like magma, Genkuro's eyes reverted to their 'normal' state. The coldness which had surrounded him departed, but his usual warmth did not return- just like Genkuro himself, who felt battered and mentally exhausted, too tired to feel anything but that grinding sorrow. He had failed Hinata. He had killed Neji, and he had done nothing to save Tenten: three people whom he was supposed to know. They were three people whom Uzumaki Naruto had known, three lives lost because of him. How could he be happy and cheerful after that? He could not.

'_Uzumaki Naruto… Hinata said I was him. But I don__'__t remember him at all. All I know is a name, and some fragments and dreams,_' Genkuro sighed. '_Now that I think about it, when I saw Hinata in that dream, she was important because of the impact she made on me. Not because she told me my name. But how did I return, if I died like Hinata said I did? Was it because I was a jinchuu-whatyoucallit?__'_ Forlorn, he gazed at where he knew Temari was. Perhaps she had answers, but he doubted it. In fact, he didn't believe that he even knew the questions. His gaze was then drawn to Tayuya. She was unconscious, and she seemed strange, her warmth flowing in irregular patterns. '_I remember… I felt that strange pull, and knew that she was fighting. Knew that she needed power. Did I give her too much, or is she like this because I gave her too little?__'_

It frustrated him. He held Orochimaru, one of the greatest shinobi in the world, as his prisoner. An S-ranked criminal, feared all over the continent, was completely at his mercy, yet he kept failing at everything other than straight-forward combat. His ignorance was a danger to all those around him. Ignorance about how he now was, ignorance about what he could do, and more than anything: ignorance about who he had been.

But through Hinata, Genkuro had learned how unexpectedly easy it was for him to retreat into his inner world. But unlike how her inner world had been, his world was a mess, a chaos. He had that vast hall of broken mirrors. Perhaps Hinata had one too, but it was hidden in an even deeper layer of consciousness- hidden amidst the pain, the loss, and despite it all: the love. Still, his mind was different from hers, and from Tayuya's, as well. Why did he have more than just one hall of mirrors? He had walked down the corridor, the sewer-like path, but he had not seen the end of the path just yet. While he already had passed at least thirty doors, made of wood, bone, or other materials, and each led to a similar dark and damp great hall of broken shards. Some had been large, some small. But only one had been illuminated, and Genkuro now realized whose hall that was. It was that of Uzumaki Naruto. '_Does that mean that the other halls belong to other people? But why would I carry the memories of others?__'_

But what did it matter? He had failed. He had caused damage, and had no way to correct it. His ignorance caused all this. He had been powerless to rescue Hinata, a girl who had cared so much about him that his death had destroyed her. But while he had returned, she perished. He was given a chance, where she had gotten none. It was so unfair. This whole world was so unfair, he grieved.

* * *

Half carrying, half dragging, Temari brought the unconscious Tayuya with her. The area was destroyed, the soil ripped apart, all vegetation either burnt or frozen. It was as if hell itself had descended on the place, and in the middle of it all, Temari saw Genkuro. '_He__'__s alive!__'_ was all she could think of. After seeing what had happened to Tayuya, Temari had feared the worst.

Genkuro had told her that in the case of his death, problems would arise for Tayuya. And seeing how the red-haired girl had collapsed, Temari had been haunted by the worst possible thoughts.

Yet before she could approach him, the white-haired toad sage cut the two girls off. Worry shone in his eyes, and he grimaced with pain while moving awkwardly. "Be careful… I'm not sure whether his fight has ended or not."

"How can you not be sure about that?" Temari wondered, although she just brushed the man aside and looked to see if the blond young man was still healthy or not. His clothes seemed torn, and the amount of blood she saw worried her. And… "What the hell are those white things on the ground?" she exclaimed when she saw the mostly vaporized remains of the giant white snake. The pieces of the creature which had been shredded by Genkuro lay haphazardly across the molten grounds.

"He fought against Orochimaru," Jiraiya grabbed the blonde's arm to stop her from moving towards Genkuro. "Don't. As I said: I don't know if the battle ended or not."

Temari gently laid down Tayuya on one of the few bits of vegetated ground which had not been destroyed, and returned to observing Genkuro. His look was so forlorn, and Temari had never seen him cry like that.

"Girl, don't be foolish," Jiraiya tried to stop her, but Temari was determined. Her teal eyes glared angrily at the sennin, and as usual, she wasn't afraid to speak her mind.

"Get out of my way, Genkuro needs me!"

"We don't know what Orochimaru-"

"That is Genkuro," Temari snarled. "As if Genkuro would lose to that filthy snake!"

Jiraiya backed off. Then again, he'd never been particularly strong against blonde women. While he boasted to be a lover of the opposite sex unlike any other man, Jiraiya acknowledged that he liked blondes most of all. He liked them, and feared them at the same time. Perhaps it was a result of the merciless beatings he received from Tsunade, or the unrequited love he held for that same woman. And in some ways, Temari reminded Jiraiya of the young Tsunade- before her spirit had been broken. Both prudent and blunt, yet behind their stoic and tough appearances both blonde women hid compassionate hearts- not that either of them had any compassion for perverts, unfortunately.

Carefully, Temari maneuvered over the destroyed grounds, until she was close to Genkuro. Genkuro, still on his knees, had his eyes fixed on the corpse which had previously been the body of Orochimaru, the human body, at least. They both ignored the quickly decaying parts of the giant white snake that he had torn apart there.

Genkuro seemed lost in thought, not even responding when Temari approached him. '_He changed so much, from the little kid who cheerfully jumped into my arms, into this man. The destruction he causes is still the same, but the ferocity by which he does it__…'_she wondered_._

She felt awkward. Despite her big words, Temari had no idea on how to reach out to him, how to comfort him. Hell, she didn't even know what was wrong with him, why he was crying. Things had always been so simple. He'd always been a source of warmth to her, of comfort, of safety. When all things had seemed lost to her, he had been there to rescue her. No matter which strange lands they had roamed, he had been at her side, cheering her up, making sure she had someone to care for, to live for. If only Tayuya had been awake…

He had done so much for her, and yet here she stood: not knowing what to do when he had a problem. Temari realized how much she depended on him being there for her. She had been terrified at the thought that he'd abandon her once he came to know the truth about his origins. She feared the day he'd remember his name, the day that he'd remember the circumstances of his death: like how she had just stood there, watching her little brother murder him.

But even in those fears, Genkuro had managed to numb her unease, simply by being there. "Genkuro?" she whispered. She repeated it a little harder, but still he did not respond. '_I__'__m not just depending on him. I__'__m depending on Tayuya just as much. She would__'__ve known… She__'__d have known how to comfort him. How to reach out to him. I wish I had a connection to him like she has, but I don__'__t… I need Genkuro to heal her!__'_

"Genkuro!" she nearly shouted now. Reaching out, her hand carefully grabbed his shoulder. He didn't seem injured at all. His clothes were ragged, and bloody as well, but Temari couldn't even see a scar- but it weren't the physical scars the frightened the girl. "Genkuro, please... Say something!"

"She loved me," his voice was hoarse, weaker than she'd ever heard him before, but she had expected that. She had seen him exhausting his energy before, and that time it had taken him a while to reform his body. But just as much as she had anticipated his fragility, his words baffled her in equal measure.

"O-Orochimaru?" She felt stupid for stuttering it out like that, but who else could he mean? "_Or was he talking about Tayuya? But if he did, why was he talking in past tense? She wasn__'__t… No, no, that couldn__'__t be! Tayuya had only been unconscious!" _

"The snake holds little love for me now," Genkuro smiled weakly, but his face was still pointed at the female body in which Orochimaru had previously resided. "He hates me, but his fangs have no power. His venom has run out. He can only watch, reduced to nothing but a spectator while I destroy his very mind."

"What are you talking about? Genkuro… you're scaring me," Temari admitted. She hated the feeling, but she did. The way he talked, the way he acted, it terrified her. Had she lost him?

"You, of all people, will never need to fear me, Temari-chan."

'_Chan? Since when does he use such suffixes?__'_ Temari had to remind herself not to stare with her mouth wide open.

"He used others as a way to prolong his life," Genkuro sighed. "And Hinata had lost everything. So when he offered her revenge, she eventually accepted. She became a vessel to prolong his life, to carry his power, to exact vengeance on those who had made her suffer." Temari couldn't recall that she had ever seen Genkuro looking this sad. But before she could move closer, before she could find words to speak, he opened his mouth again; what he then said shocked her most of all. "She loved Uzumaki Naruto. She loved me," Genkuro said in a desolate tone of voice. "She loved who I once was."

Eyes wide, Temari felt her heart beating somewhere near her throat. For the first time, Genkuro turned away from Hinata's body.

"But you already know who I was," it wasn't a question. Genkuro was clueless about a great many things, but he did feel the fear she was radiating now. He saw the way she responded when he uttered his name, his former name. Or… no, he hadn't come to terms with this discovery yet. Genkuro didn't think of himself as Uzumaki Naruto. He knew practically nothing about Naruto. Not yet, anyway. But Temari didn't seem surprised, which confused him.

"I-I meant to… I wanted to tell… But I… I," Temari nearly chocked. Unwanted tears were welling up, and her heart was beating like it had gone berserk.

"I felt her emotions," Genkuro seemingly ignored Temari. "When I spoke to Hinata, after I connected to her soul, I felt her emotions. Even if it was just shortly, even if she was burdened by her past and her future, I could feel her love."

Genkuro looked at Temari, and she got the strange idea that he expected her to say something. But what? She didn't know what to say. Something? Anything would do, but her every thought seemed too stupid to utter. Because, if this went wrong… would Genkuro cast her away?

"I am still not sure why I should lower my pants when I feel like that, that love thing," Genkuro reminded her of the awkward explanation she had given him. Oh, how that simple enough lecture on clothing had derailed. If not for her shock, she would have broken down in laughter at the declaration. But he knew his name… Did he remember? Would he remember?

Surprising her, Genkuro suddenly pulled Temari close. "Why are you so scared?"

She trembled, and just leaned against his chest. Allowing the peaceful beating of his heart to calm her, Temari realized that he wasn't weakened at all. In fact, he seemed to have more power than ever before. And still… how come he had lost his warm and comforting aura? What had smothered it? Temari feared that what she had to say would only make things worse. But she saw no way out of this except for her to lie, which she knew was pointless against him. "I knew… suspected that you are… Who you were," she stumbled over her own words. "That you were Uzumaki Naruto."

"But if you knew, why didn't you tell me?" the question was asked in a kindly way, but to Temari it felt like he had just pierced her with a kunai. Scratch that. It felt like he had just stabbed her with a very rusty and blunt old kunai.

"I was terrified that… that if you knew the truth, you'd hate me!" she blurted out. There, she confessed it. She hated herself for her weakness; she was supposed to be a hardcore kunoichi, not some sniffling mess who'd break down in tears at the first setback.

"Why would I ever hate you?" Genkuro blinked.

"I'm the sister of Sabaku no Gaara. He… My little brother was the one who killed you. Or at least, the demon which possessed him killed you. I don't think it was even my brother anymore, at that point," Temari almost whispered. "But I was there. I was there when Gaara released the Ichibi from its seal, and saw how he crushed you with his sand. I was there," the tears were now unstoppable. "I was your enemy! My village invaded yours. My brother killed you! He killed your team!"

"I felt Hinata's love," Genkuro repeated. "She-"

"I don't care! I… I'm despicable," Temari tried to pull away from him, but Genkuro was unyielding. "Just… Just help Tayuya, okay? She wasn't a part of my mistakes. After all she's been through, she deserves a better life. She's a better person than I'll ever be. I'll go. I understand if you don't want to-"

His grip tightened. So much, that it became uncomfortable for the blonde. "I felt 'love'. So how could I ever abandon you? You feel the same as she did. No, that is wrong," Genkuro immediately corrected himself. "Hinata loved who I once was. You love who I am." He had been Naruto, but Genkuro was more than Naruto… he was still contemplating Hinata's cryptic message. Then again, if one hall of mirrors was Naruto's, then to whom belonged all those other halls?

"Aba… but I…" Temari sputtered, tried to shout at him, tried to vent all of her fears and frustrations, all of her doubts. But she couldn't talk: she was paralyzed, unable to do a thing.

"Can you… Can you help me?" Genkuro ignored the complete and utter chaos in Temari's mind. "I want to give them a proper farewell. Hinata… but Tenten as well. I think I knew Tenten too. Neji is already gone," he added, guilt washing over him, as he knew Neji's ashes were already scattered in the wind. "But I don't know… I can't remember how to-"

"I'll help you bury them," Temari said with the tiniest of voices. "But Tayuya…"

"I'll do what I can for her," Genkuro promised. She was just like her, felt the same way, so how was he ever to leave her in her current condition?

"I know…" she whispered. His smile was kind as ever, but Temari still noticed that the usual warmth he radiated was absent. But, he said he wanted her help. He still needed her. That was enough for her.

* * *

"Danzo-sama," a masked Root anbu operative bowed in front of the desk of the Godaime Hokage of Konohagakure no Sato.

"Report."

"Tatsuma's name disappeared from the scroll of agents."

Danzo blinked for a moment. He had been distracted by the latest intelligences on the jonin council, reports on movements near the border of Kumo, and now he had to recall what mission he had sent Tatsuma on. The world stood at the edge of a great war, and he had to remember what every single anbu was doing. '_Aburame Tatsuma… I sent Tatsuma and those two recruits to assassinate the Suna girl.__'_

"Send a patrol to inspect who or what killed him."

"As you command, Danzo-sama," the operative nodded in understanding. There were traces which had to be removed.

The news gave Danzo a headache, though. Was it Orochimaru who had somehow betrayed him, and killed the Aburame? Or was that unknown third person, who travelled with Temari of the sand and that other traitor of Oto, more capable than anyone had anticipated? Whatever happened, it would take several elite jonin to deal with the matter. On the other hand, Orochimaru wanted the two girls' deaths just as much as he did. They would be dead, unless… Orochimaru was not easily bested, anyone strong enough to defeat both the anbu squad _and_ the sennin was even worse- to the point where it would form a threat to Konohagakure.

The problem was, with all the tension between the nations, Danzo could not spare his elite jonin; nor did he fully trust people like Hatake Kakashi. If someone like him was to investigate this situation, Danzo's hidden dealings with Orochimaru could come to light.

There was an alternative, though. He hated the underground, but it was the only option still left open. '_However, I cannot place a bounty on Temari of the sands herself. It would inevitably draw attention from Suna and Iwa. A bounty on the Oto girl wouldn__'__t draw capable people either, and if it were too high a bounty, people would be suspicious as well. She has zero reputation. What could… They were traveling with that priestess of Oni no Kuni,_' Danzo remembered. With the tiniest of smiles adorning his scarred face, which was all he allowed himself in terms of expressing emotions, Danzo began writing.

A high reward would be waiting for those who would kill the priestess _and_ her guards.

* * *

Genkuro glanced at his side, seeing the blonde nodding next to him. Temari was exhausted, but refused to leave him alone. He remained sitting, in front of the graves they had dug, in front of the final resting places of Hyuga Hinata and Tenten of Konohakure, and Taruho of Oni no Kuni. After Genkuro had undone the damage Orochimaru had caused, Jiraiya, gifted in the art of fuinjutsu, had created memorial stones for the three, and also left a fourth stone in honour of Neji. These tombstones were inscribed with many seals, which were meant to offer protection. The ground would not be overgrown, the soil not disturbed by animals, and normal humans would instinctively avoid the place. Genkuro was happy that his friends would rest with the dignity and peace which they deserved.

If only he had remembered, if only he had known. '_It happened. There__'__s no use in pondering about the 'what if__'__s of this world. It happened, and now I have to deal with the guilt,__'_ Genkuro sighed. However, he made sure not to disturb Temari. He knew she'd rather sleep where the others were, in their tent, but Genkuro couldn't leave this place. It was the best place he could think of to execute his task.

He had a whole night before him, a whole night where he could torment Orochimaru. The trapped sennin would suffer the shattering of mirror after mirror, until Genkuro eradicated all his memories. Genkuro would make sure that Orochimaru would be sent to the afterlife, but only after the snake lost every shred of knowledge he had gathered in his revolting life.

Vaguely, Genkuro realized that sleep had overcome Temari, now leaning against him with her head to his shoulder. She had seemed so fragile, and yet… '_I can understand why she didn__'__t tell me,__' _Genkuro admitted. '_I was dangerous, unstable. I was too frustrated to be able to deal with the truth. Jiraiya was right, why would I just conveniently remember everything, only by hearing my former name?__'_

He recalled how Jiraiya had explained how he had known Uzumaki Naruto, how he had sought for Genkuro, after some kind of holy toad told him that Naruto was still alive. Genkuro still was a little confused regarding that part of the story, as Jiraiya obviously did not tell everything there was to know about this toad, but still, Genkuro was glad the old pervert had come looking for him. His being Naruto's godfather baffled Genkuro, though, for exactly the same reasons as why Hinata's words were difficult for him to comprehend. In his mind, Genkuro knew he was Naruto. But in his heart… He barely remembered anything from his former life. So how could he refer to himself as Naruto?

'_As soon as I have destroyed the snake, I will have to find a way to restore all those shards. It will be painful, and it will take a lot of time, but I know it should be possible,__'_ Genkuro smiled sadly. Part of him wasn't looking forward to remembering everything. It would only increase the feeling of guilt he had regarding his part in the death of the three who were buried in front of him.

On the other hand, Genkuro knew that he had to grow. He needed to be stronger, but especially wiser. He punished Orochimaru for his part in Hinata's death, but Genkuro knew that the snake was only the last in a long line of people who forced her into that position. He himself apparently was included, considering how his death had broken her spirit. Genkuro hated himself for that, but couldn't change it.

But regarding her family and the new Hokage, Shimura Danzo… Genkuro would not rest until they too paid the price for their crimes. Especially with Danzo, it had become personal to Genkuro. After all, Danzo had sent assassins after Temari and Tayuya, which had forced Genkuro into the situation where he had killed Neji. Because of Danzo, Hinata had suffered. Genkuro intended to make her clan pay for that as well. Everyone responsible had to pay.

Jiraiya had warned him not to act rashly. Strong as he might be, Genkuro would not be able to take on an entire hidden village. Not yet, at least. Besides, it would apparently be directly against the legacy of Uzumaki Naruto. Genkuro did not understan\d why Naruto had wanted to become Hokage, but he was convinced that he would understand one day.

No, at the moment, all that Genkuro wanted was a peaceful life. He smiled when Temari mumbled something in her sleep, tightly gripping his arm in the process. '_Even in her sleep, she is afraid of losing me. But why? I don__'__t know what part she had in my death, but still I cannot imagine myself hating her.__' _Genkuro did not understand the complex mixture of her feelings. Sure, he now knew what love felt like, but what did he know about love? Why would love, something which Temari herself had describe as something positive and light, bring such fear?

'_That__'__s something for later. First, I have to deal with the snake. And in the morning, I__'__ll take another look at Tayuya,_' He frowned when he thought about the red haired girl. He didn't understand what was going on with her. She had suffered burns all over her body, and especially her eyes had been damaged. But it had been nothing that Genkuro couldn't restore back to the original state. But even while she now seemed physically in order, she was still so terribly ill. Why? He could sense that the sliver of his warmth still resided in her cursed seal, so what could be wrong?

The only comfort they had had was that Shion told them that she had not foreseen Tayuya's death.

"_If only Tsunade were here,_" was what Jiraiya had uttered. According to him, Tsunade of the sannin had been the greatest medic of this era. He said that if anyone could heal Tayuya, it would have been her. But Jiraiya had smashed Genkuro's hopes by telling him that Tsunade had vanished. She too had likely been a victim of Orochimaru.

'_Before I smash the mirrors, I will have to explore them,_' Genkuro knew that he would see many hideous things, but it was the only way. If Orochimaru had captured her, then there would be a memory somewhere within this hall. Exploring his memories had already taught Genkuro several interesting things, like the information regarding the organization called 'Akatsuki', who would undoubtedly come after Genkuro if he indeed was the Kyuubi no Yoko, or its jinchuriki. But with Tayuya's current condition, the matter of Tsunade was far more pressing to him. '_From how the old pervert described her, she sounds a lot like that woman I saw in Orochimaru__'__s maze. Only, that woman was much older. And was that place an echo of his real lair? And if so, where is it located? I need to know. And fast… __I don'__t know how long Tayuya would last.__'_

Absentmindedly, he stroked the sleeping Temari's ever-unruly, spiky hair, while his gaze turned inwards.

* * *

Standing amidst the chaos and destruction, two cloaked men were apparently taking it easy. Well, one was lying on the ground rather than standing up. The man still had a spear embedded in his stomach, something which was completely at odds with how serene he was. This was not his usual behaviour, mind you, but whenever he was praying to his god, the man showed more composure than usual.

"We need to go exchange this corpse for its bounty," the other man sounded bored. He had just picked up the lifeless body of a bald monk. The man had certainly been worthy of his name, a former member of the Twelve Guardian Ninja. Then again, if the man hadn't been exceptionally strong, he would never have had that thirty million ryo bounty on his head. "Money comes first."

"Hey… you mind if I get pissed at you for once, seriously? I told you that I had to finish my prayers first!"

"Hi no Kuni is quite big… we have to get a move on," Kakuzu didn't care about Hidan's worthless prayers. "I'd rather cash this guy in, before he starts to smell."

"Dammit, shut up!" Hidan was pissed, even more so because his sudden movement had twisted the spike in his stomach. It had been quite painful. Not that it was anything serious, but it hurt like a bitch nonetheless.

"One of these days, I swear I'll kill you..."

"Again and again, that's not something to say to me, Kakuzu."

"Just hurry the up with your lazing around. There are plenty of good bounties waiting to be collected," Kakuzu growled. "You know our leader wants to gather more money before the plans are set in motion."

"Pein can suck my zealous balls," Hidan scoffed.

* * *

When she finally woke up, she felt sore. Very sore. Rubbing her eyes, Temari wondered where she was. It felt so darn cold. '_Wait__… where is Tayuya? Where is Genkuro?__'_ her hazy mind began to process her surroundings. Damn, how she hated the early mornings. She wasn't built for waking up at such times. People needed to rest properly. But even with her blanket, and in her tent, Temari had gotten cold. Small wonder, she hadn't slept alone in months. At first, Genkuro had been there for her, and when Tayuya joined the group… well, she was the first to admit that their sleeping arrangements were odd. Honen really did not have to point that out to her. But it was comfortable, that was for sure.

"Genkuro?" she croaked. She was thirsty, longing for a good mug of coffee. '_Crap, there__'__s no coffee here. I hate camping outdoors.__'_

Her mood darkened even more when she noticed that Genkuro wasn't around. Shion was still fast asleep, and Jiraiya also seemed to be dreaming… _something. _She shuddered a bit at the thought what could give him such a lecherous smile during his sleep. '_Damn pervert. At least Honen remains professional. Then again, he__'__s the exact opposite. Stuck-up idiot.__'_

But when she saw Tayuya, restlessly sleeping underneath at least four blankets in a tent of her own, the recollection of the events of yesterday harshly woke Temari up. Careful not to wake anyone up, Temari sneaked out of the camp. Well, Jiraiya did not just sleep right through it, but he did not show it, and she never noticed. Honen looked, but remained silent. He had been pale, last night, when he had seen the full extent of the damage the fight had caused. He and Shion had feared the worst, while they were helplessly trapped within Jiraiya's barriers. But even the priestess could not argue against the wisdom of the sage's actions.

But that didn't matter to Temari now. She needed to know where Genkuro was. Last night, she had fallen asleep while watching over Genkuro. He had been in a peculiar mood, and mourned Hinata, the girl whose body Orochimaru had taken, as well as Neji and Tenten, the two younger anbu who had attacked them. If Temari was honest, she felt no happiness in killing the girl. Tenten had been distracted while Temari was already swinging her nodachi at her. It was regrettable, but Tenten had been a capable kunoichi, so she had known the risk. She should have. Such distractions were definitely a no-no in their line of work.

Temari regretted it, but could not allow herself to get distracted by it. After all, innocent people died every day, and she had learned very early in her training that she was not innocent. Notions like 'good' or 'bad' were only foolish lies people told themselves. She, like all the shinobi, was a trained killer. Worse even, was that she had become a traitor. She had failed as a kunoichi when she took the opportunity to escape her impending marriage by faking her own death. Her selfish actions had brought her village only more peril.

Despite all the somber thoughts, there was one thing that kept popping back up. She felt the blood rushing to her face each time she remembered how casually Genkuro had told her that he knew she loved him. "The idiot might recognize it now, but if he says it that easily, he still doesn't understand it at all," she grumbled. Still, it left her confused. His mind was adapting so quickly, and every day he seemed to remember a little more of whom he once had been. But now that he knew, she couldn't… it wasn't right to continue living the same way as they had done up till now, was it?

Tayuya had uttered it only a few days ago: if he keeps growing up like this, he'll become aware of 'other things' as well. And while Tayuya bluntly stated that she would love it if he became aware that he could use his body for more enjoyable activities, Temari knew very well that the girl wasn't completely honest. In spite of her big mouth, Tayuya had no experience on the matter at all; although, she didn't have as much a barrier to it as Temari had. The idea that Genkuro would look at her with lust in his eyes confused Temari. Was it happiness, or sorrow, she felt? Fear? Temari wished that she could forget her 'fiancé', the piece of filth who had seen her as nothing but an enjoyable piece of meat.

"Genkuro isn't like that, he would never try to do such things to me," she mumbled absentmindedly. Then again, he did leave her during the night. He had carried her to the others, and tucked her in so that she would be warm enough. _"Perhaps he is a bit uncomfortable now that he knows? Argh, it doesn__'__t matter anyway. He might look hot, but his mind… Neither Tayuya nor I would try anything funny. We promised to each other we wouldn__'__t make a move on him before he was aware of what this stuff means. We swore, on everything we hold dear."_

She could repeat it over and over again, but part of her mind remained rebellious. Part of her longed for him to… No, no, she didn't want to think about that. Walking in the cool morning air would ease her mind, she hoped. But when Temari found him, surrounded by three adult foxes and one fox kit, she knew that it had been pointless.

The fox kit was comfortably sleeping on his lap, while two of the adults sat next to him, one at each side. The third carried a hare. Or was it a rabbit? Temari always had trouble telling the two apart, considering how neither species lived near Sunagakure. The nearby collection of hares, or rabbits, was a bit surprising to the blonde. Sure, she had seen him attract foxes before, which somewhat made sense in hindsight, knowing what creature he originally housed, but this… It was like the foxes were paying tribute to Genkuro. They were flocking to him, like peasants gathered under the rule of a king.

The three adult foxes looked curiously when she appeared, but for some reason they lost interest. Genkuro, however, was paying attention. "I've found a way," he rasped. His exhaustion resounded in his voice, and it showed on his face as well. Then again, it had been a rather tiring night. The things he had seen… the horrors which Orochimaru had committed in his unquenchable hunger for knowledge.

"A way?"

"Tayuya… I couldn't find anything on her. Her body is in perfect condition, and yet her warmth is strange. I cannot stabilize it, not without changing her at least. But I think the latter is not really an option. It is too unpredictable," he stated calmly.

'_What happened to the idiot who didn__'__t even understand the words I spoke?__'_ Temari blinked as she heard him talk.

He smirked as if he could see the thought displayed on her forehead. "I've captured Orochimaru."

"W-what?"

"He tried to invade my mind, in an attempt to steal my body. I suppose you could say that it didn't work out as he planned," Genkuro chuckled softly. "His memories are interesting though. Most are horrible and nauseating, yet there some that are interesting."

"Is it the cursed seal which causes the problem?" Temari guessed. Orochimaru was the one who designed the things and applied them, after all.

"…perhaps I should leave those memories intact for now," Genkuro mused, now that he considered it. He had avoided them because they seemed very dark. "But no. I found something else. But I think I will need some rest before we can set out."

"Set out?" Temari sputtered. Not that she protested as much as the fox kit did when Genkuro tried to stand up. "But Tayuya… You still have Orochimaru lurking around inside you?!"

"He is trapped, and I am slowly destroying his mind," Genkuro shrugged. He decided to pick up the protesting kit, and it nestled in his arms. He started walking toward their little encampment, flanked by the two 'guard foxes', as Temari had called them to herself. "Orochimaru made a mistake thinking he could conquer my mind. Even I am not capable of such a thing," he added solemnly.

"But why would we set out?"

"I'll tell you when the others are listening too. Also, I think they'd be happy with all the rabbits my little furry friends gathered for me," he petted the kit, who was squinting its eyes from the sheer pleasure.

* * *

"I expected that you'd be happier knowing that Orochimaru was caught like that," Genkuro wondered when he saw Jiraiya's expression. Through Orochimaru, Genkuro had learned about the rivalry between the two men, or perhaps more accurately, the deep animosity.

"You shouldn't look at his memories. I'm not sure how you're doing… doing whatever it is you can do," the toad sage was unusually agitated. "But if you contact too many of his memories, you might get infected by his evil!"

"I wouldn't get-"

"Did you ever notice how similar you and Tayuya can act at times?" Jiraiya cut him off. "You said you saw her memories when you freed her from Orochimaru's grasp. The point is that no one knows what the effect of such a skill would be. You can't walk through another's memories without risking that the memories will affect you. His memories could become yours. Even the Yamanaka only watch, not undergo, the memories of their targets!"

"I see…" Genkuro frowned. He had to agree with the sennin's doubts, unfortunate as it may be. The knowledge Orochimaru had possessed on the organization called 'Akatsuki' had been very interesting, for instance, as was the research which Orochimaru had done regarding Naruto and all the other jinchuriki. Still, Genkuro had to admit that his method carried dangers. He remembered how quickly his knowledge about the world had grown after his mind-trip through Tayuya's hall of mirrors. "Agreed. I will destroy, but not inspect, Orochimaru's memories."

"But how were you going to save Tayuya?" Temari decided to get back to the point. Seeing her diseased friend made her anxious.

"We can't travel with her in that condition," Shion agreed. While not exactly friends with Tayuya, she didn't want to kill her by moving her when she shouldn't, either. Thus, she had proposed to send Honen and Tayuya back to the temple, but none of the others had agreed with the proposal, however. In fact, Genkuro's glare had been all that was needed to shut the arrogant priestess up.

"The pervert said that Tsunade of the sannin would be able to save her," Genkuro explained. The look in Jiraiya's eyes changed from his earlier agitation, to complete shock, when the man realized what Genkuro had found. "Yes, I saw where Orochimaru keeps her imprisoned."

"She is alive?" Jiraiya gasped. "Hime isn't… She's alive?! W-where? How? Where is she? I'll-"

"I saw the path in his memories, but it is difficult to explain," Genkuro shook his head. It confused him that the older man reacted so strongly. Then again, Genkuro had mostly stayed away from Orochimaru's memories on Jiraiya, or his time as a child. They had been too bitter, too cold, for him to even want to see, and the direction Orochimaru had taken afterwards was too vile. The state of mind in which Orochimaru had lived also affected the mirror, hence the bleak glow they gave, in contrast to the much warmer glow which the mirrors in Naruto's hall gave. "I will take Temari, while you and Honen guard Tayuya and the priestess."

It was obvious that Jiraiya wanted to protest against this, but while he opened his mouth, he did not voice his discontent. Apparently, the sennin could see the logic behind the decision. They now knew that Konoha targeted Temari and Tayuya, so both needed a strong guard. It was not that Genkuro had any doubts regarding Temari's skill, but he wanted her at her side. He needed her knowledge.

"I'm getting an hour or two of sleep first," Genkuro yawned. This physical exhaustion he suffered truly was an inconvenient side-effect of this body. Genkuro had never felt it this badly before, although he had never been in a battle like the one against Orochimaru, not that he could remember, at least. "You three little ones can keep Tayuya company, while we're gone, okay?" he mumbled at the foxes.

To the surprise of the others, the foxes indeed walked over to the red-haired girl, and laid down next to her in the tent. Apparently, the creatures accepted the unconscious girl just as easily as they did Genkuro. The little kit even went as far as licking the salty sweat off the red-haired girl's feverish forehead.

* * *

"I hope to see you with another corpse soon, sir," a scarred, bold man with a broad moustache said. The man was quite the sycophant, but he was one of the best in his line of work. As such, he knew very well that he was talking to one of his best and most dangerous clients.

"Sorry to say, but you won't…" Kakuzu grumbled. "I've got to go to Konoha. There are reports that one of the dead bijuu might return soon."

"Such a creature would fetch quite a price indeed," the bald man said submissively. "If you remain in Hi no Kuni, though, might I suggest something, sir?"

"What?" Kakuzu began to get annoyed by the sweaty man. He hated it if time was wasted.

"I just received a particularly nice bounty," the bald man continued with his adulatory voice. "It was given to me, so that I may spread it to the other offices, but eh… seeing how you are one of my best clients, I thought that you might like to see it first."

Kakuzu snatched the paper out of the man's hands, and began reading. "The monk earned me thirty million, and yet someone is offering the same amount for some piece of trash priestess?" he said disbelievingly. "Kill her and her three guards, and deliver the heads… Hi no Kuni, heading towards Oni no Kuni… Three guards are missing nin…" he scanned through the description. "What's the catch? I can understand thirty million for a guy like Chiriku, but for a powerless girl like her it just doesn't make sense. She isn't even added into the bingo book."

"I'm not sure, Kakuzu-sama," the man bowed. "I received the bounty today, from a middle man who claimed that he got it from Konohagakure."

"They must have some kind of dirty secret on that bastard Danzo," Kakuzu chuckled darkly. "Fine, money is money, I'll take the bounty. And if you spread the word, I will kill you."

"I won't, sir," the man gulped. "Erm.. If I may give you one bit of advice… You should probably ditch that partner of yours. Can't say he looks all that interested in money."

"I'm well aware," Kakuzu grumbled, his good mood vaporized like snow under the desert sun. "He may have no interest in money, but there is one reason why he's the only person I can partner with."

"…which would be?"

"Every one of my previous partners is dead."

"…?"

"The second I have a problem with someone, I get really pissed and kill them," Kakuzu said bluntly, making the bald man sweat even harder. "But him… I just can't manage to kill him. That's about it."

* * *

"Was it wise to allow Genkuro and Temari-san to wander off on their own?" Honen brought up the question that was nagging him for most of the day. The priestess had barely come out of her tent, most likely because she was mourning her friend's death. The girl would never admit it; her words had been cold and seemingly indifferent, but the death of Taruho had definitely made an impact on the girl. Still, Honen felt like this was no way for a priestess to behave.

"If he can beat Orochimaru, I don't see how he's going to be at risk," Jiraiya frowned. "Granted, if I had been prepared, I would've been a better match for Orochimaru, but his juken took me off guard. But Naru- Genkuro… no matter what you throw at him, he just seems to be getting stronger and stronger." Jiraiya was unsure what to call Genkuro at this point. He looked so much like Naruto, yet he stated that he was still Genkuro. Knowing his former name had changed little of who he was, Genkuro had said.

"His power increased," Honen nodded.

"More than just that," the toad sage sighed. "I think… Up till now, I assumed that Naruto had returned, but it would seem that the Kyuubi has returned as well."

"…that would make sense."

"Sorry?" Jiraiya blinked, not understanding Honen's conclusion.

"The seiken style basically is a way to manipulate chakra, and solidify it. We monks use it to give shape to the gods that reside in our hearts and minds, but Genkuro… The reason why he is so strong is that he instinctively did the same. But he didn't give shape to something else, he gave shape to himself. He formed himself as his own avatar, as we do our gods, if that makes sense to you."

"I doubt any of it makes sense," Jiraiya sighed. "Then again, he did state that he created his own body from scratch. The Kyuubi was, like all bijuu, also a mass of chakra given shape. It was rumored that the Rikudo Sennin was the one who gave them shape…"

"So Genkuro possesses a skill similar to the sage of the six paths himself?" Honen frowned. His clear, light grey eyes were filled with doubt.

"Perhaps," Jiraiya mumbled. '_Tayuya joked that the kid would get nine of those magatama symbols. Before the battle, he had four. Afterwards, I saw a fifth. Is it a sign of the Kyuubi__'__s power returning? Is it a sign of Naruto returning? Whatever it is, every time another symbol appears, Genkuro__'__s power seems to grow. But if he is the nine tails, what would the ninth magatama cause? Would it announce the return of the Kyuubi no Yoko itself? Because if his power really does keep growing at this rate, it really would reach a level like that of the fox…__'_

* * *

"Ugh, let's just call it a day," Temari groaned. "It's getting dark, and we've still got quite some ground to cover. I'd rather not pass the border of Hi no Kuni while I'm already tired."

"We have several hours to go until we reach the place where Tsunade is kept," Genkuro mumbled. "Though, you are right: you do need to replenish your warmth."

"Are you okay?" Temari asked cautiously. "You were so silent today." Genkuro smiled, but it wasn't very convincing. Usually, his cheerfulness radiated around him, but after yesterday's events… "Is Orochimaru giving you trouble?" she worried. "If there is anything I can do for you."

"No," now he laughed more genuinely. "No, he can't cause a single problem. It is true that I've been busy demolishing his memories while we were running," Genkuro smirked when he thought about the furious sennin. Each time he raged, Genkuro just smashed another mirror. That definitely shut him up for a while, as the pain seemed to be getting worse for Orochimaru with each mirror Genkuro broke.

Temari skinned and prepared two rabbits, or hares, which they had brought along, while Genkuro set up their tent. "Why did you do it?" Genkuro suddenly asked.

"Eh… Why did I do what?" Temari frowned. "You're not very specific, you know..."

"When we left, you kissed Tayuya."

"On the forehead, yes," Temari shrugged. "So what? I mean, she's terribly ill, and I feel bad for leaving her like that. The least I could do is say goodbye."

This resulted in some silence from Genkuro. "So… kisses are for saying goodbye," he eventually concluded. Even if it was within her mind, Hinata had kissed him, an act which had left him confused. His instinctual reaction had confused him even more, though. But it had been a goodbye, so if kisses had such a function, then-

"Erm... No, not necessarily. You can kiss a close friend when you say your goodbyes, but this was… Well, it is more like I did it because I care about her. Worry about her. We may argue every now and then, but she is dear to me."

"You kissed to show love?" Genkuro blinked. That made more sense to him; that was why Hinata kissed him as well, he supposed.

"Y-yeah… Though that love isn't the love which one would… L-love, that… Do you want some rabbit?" Temari tried to distract him, and for a little while, it worked. Although fidgety, Genkuro remained silent. Still, it was rather obvious to Temari that he was bothered by something. Seeing how he was depending on her to answer his questions anyway, she just gave in and asked him what was eating him. She didn't want to see him saddened like this…

"Why were you thinking I'd leave you?" Genkuro seemed pained when he asked. Correspondingly, Temari felt pained that she had to answer.

"I told you, I was afraid you'd remember what I did if you were to learn your name," Temari once again confessed. "At the same time, we had no guarantee that you'd remember even a single thing if we'd told you about our suspicions. And you were already quite dangerous enough. Remember the forest you blew up after you had a nightmare? And you had those episodes at the Temple as well, even if you tried to hide that," the blonde added. "Part of me wanted… I wanted to protect you. But I was also selfish. I didn't want to risk you leaving me."

"Was I a bad person?"

"What? No! I mean, we were enemies, but that was only because our villages were fighting. We both had to follow our orders. We both had our friends and family to protect," the girl sighed. She found the situation rather ironic, considering how she eventually turned out to be a traitor. "You were… Well, I'd say you were an idiot."

"You always say that," Genkuro pouted.

"But you are! And were," Temari smiled softly. "You were boisterous and exuberant. Far too loud and notable to be a good shinobi. I mean, you were wearing an orange jumpsuit, of all things! That thing was pure suicide."

"Orange is a good color. Like the sunset!"

"Baka… shinobi are supposed to be stealthy! How can you be stealthy if you're clad in bright orange?" she chided him. "Ah well, from what I saw during the Chunin Exams, Uzumaki Naruto was an idiot. But he was a kind idiot. If you ask me, he was far too childish and friendly to ever be worthy of promotion to chunin. Hell, I'd say you're usually acting the exact same as you did back then. Still…"

"What?" Genkuro felt a bit of happiness that he resembled Naruto, or that Naruto resembled him. But he wanted to learn more, which made him realize that it indeed frustrated him that he only knew a name, and not the person himself.

"You impressed… Naruto, I mean, impressed me. He managed to push my deranged little brother so far that he was forced to release the Ichibi on him. Naruto seemed to be an incompetent fool when I first saw him, but in hindsight I think you were the strongest of your generation. It was just bad luck that you happened to be confronted by Gaara, who could unleash his bijuu, unlike you."

"Hinata said that the village I lived… where Naruto lived, that they didn't train him properly. That they sent me off to die," Genkuro frowned.

"Perhaps, I can't say. You were a jinchuriki, just like Gaara. And while every village wants the power of a jinchuriki, they also fear them greatly. Hate them. People always seem to think that a jinchuriki might lose control at any given time, and that when it happens, the demon will gobble them all up," Temari felt saddened that her brother had suffered that fate as well. In hindsight, Temari wondered how much responsibility she had carried, how large her role had been in pushing the boy into the dark, downward spiral which had resulted in his death, and Naruto's death. "I suppose that was another reason for me… if you remember who you have been, you'd remember that pain too. That loneliness."

"I'm not lonely anymore," Genkuro smiled. "I don't remember who I have been, but one thing would never change: you and Tayuya are my precious people now."

"…thanks," she blinked, making Genkuro wonder if she was pestered by flies. Was it because she was tired? He had seen her tear up at times, when she was yawning.

She, in her turn, saw that Genkuro still had that solemn expression, even though he smiled. She knew he was still hurt by what had happened, considering how he still did not radiate his usual warmth. "But, what about Hinata? Why couldn't you save her? I mean, you removed the cursed seal from Tayuya, right?"

"Hinata was… It was different," Genkuro sighed, closing his 'eyes' while grimacing. "Tayuya only had a part of Orochimaru residing in her seal. Hinata… Orochimaru had completed his ritual. He had taken over her body, and her soul was bound to his."

"Then, how come you managed to beat him?"

"His weakness was his pride. I think he never expected anyone to be stronger than him. If someone managed to beat him before he could complete the ritual, he would be the one who was trapped instead. If that had been the case, I could have saved Hinata just like I did for Tayuya. Though, perhaps if I had more time, I could have…"

"It isn't your fault," Temari tried to comfort him. "The world isn't fair, Genkuro. There are things beyond… Even you can't save everyone. You are stronger than anyone else, but still you have limitations."

"I wish I didn't. I wish none of this killing ever had to happen. I had so many dreams filled with this idiocy, all this hatred and pointless violence… I will end it all," he gritted his teeth. Temari realized that if it was Genkuro, he might just pull it off, especially when his power kept growing like this. Oddly, in spite of all that had happened, Temari got a feeling of hope she had not sensed in a long time. If it was Genkuro, the world might be changed. Sunagakure might be changed. The wars could be ended, and she could be free.

Trying to envision such a future, Temari got a little confused. In every possible scenario, Genkuro was there alongside her. Did she… No, she couldn't leave Tayuya, either. Moreover, she knew how Tayuya felt. But perhaps, if Tayuya was healed, they could somehow come to an agreement with regard to… No. No, Temari could not imagine herself being in such a relationship. But then, what did she want her future to be?

"You don't have much warmth left, you need sleep," Genkuro decided when he looked at Temari and saw the exhaustion displayed on her face. Not even waiting for her response, he simply absorbed the flames of the little campfire and went into the tent. Temari smiled, shook her head, and decided to follow his example. Shedding her white dress and unsealing a clean shirt and loose pants, Temari changed and went into the tent with him. She had been inclined to say that she'd stand guard, but she had already seen some red-furred foxes that were sneaking around their campsite. It didn't seem likely to her that anyone would be able to sneak up to them. Besides, she was with Genkuro… what could happen?

Though as she loosened her hair, undoing the single tail she had forced her unruly hair into that morning, Temari began to wonder why Genkuro was so protective of her and Tayuya. How could he be so ruthless at one moment, yet so gentle and caring afterwards?

"Why... Why are Tayuya and I precious to you?" Temari asked shyly, while cuddling up to him.

At first, he remained silent, clearly not knowing how to explain, but suddenly he moved. Temari yelped when he grabbed her by the shoulders, and pinned her down. Without any shred of doubt, Genkuro leaned in and kissed her. For an instant, Temari felt her heart stop beating. It was as if the entire world stopped moving. Struggle to get free, or answer… The split-second that it took to decide, was also the moment something within her broke.

She knew that he saw a kiss merely as a way to express that he cared about her. She knew that she had just explained that to him. She knew that she could just push him away, ending the kiss, and bop him on the head as she usually did when he misunderstood her. But… there were plenty of reasons she could have given, even very logical-sounding ones such as trying to drag him out of his depression that followed after the Hyuga's death. But all the reasons she could think of, were things she thought of in hindsight.

But right now, at this moment, with only her and Genkuro in that tent...

The moment when he kissed her, her resistance broke purely due to selfish reasons. Ever since he had changed from his child-like form to this grown-up body, she had felt attracted to him. When he had looked like a child, her longing for his comforting aura had felt like something innocent. But after he 'grew up' like that… She had tried to fend that emotion off, saying that he was a child in mind, irrespective of his body. She had refused to acknowledge her own feelings, also because of her experiences of nearly getting married. But she had also refused them because she did not want to break the fragile trust which Tayuya had put in her. But when it came down to it, Temari just wanted to be loved. She had been alone for so long… she didn't want to feel like that ever again.

A voice in the back of her head tried to warn her that Genkuro misunderstood, urged her to stop. It warned that he didn't really understand what love was, that he didn't fathom the meaning behind a kiss like this. But she didn't care, not now. She knew it was selfish, but she didn't care. She'd never get him to understand what it was if she only used words. She would have to show him, or so she tried to reason with her own conscience.

The voice shouted at her, warning her that Tayuya would see it as treason. But how could Tayuya blame her when it was Genkuro who kissed her, not the other way around? She wasn't the one who started this. What crime was there in kissing back? Her emotions overruled the voice of reason. She deepened the kiss, ignoring his surprise. He tried to back out because of the surprise, but she didn't let him. He kissed her, so he'd better take responsibility as well, and not back out halfway through.

She had no idea how long it was, but she had to let go. She had to breathe, even if she didn't want to let him go. So she didn't, holding him even closer, even though she didn't kiss him. Her irregular breathing and her wildly racing heart didn't exactly help either.

"T-Temari?"

She laughed when she saw the flabbergasted look on his face. "_That_ is love, you baka," she smirked mischievously. Although, she felt guilty as well, as she and Tayuya had agreed not to make any moves on him, and yet here she was… and while Tayuya was ill, to make things even worse. '_It wasn't like I planned this to happen. He started this!'_ the young kunoichi tried to convince herself. '_And this was the only way to explain him what love really is, right? And he needed to cheer up as well. It's not like I did… He started it!'_

"I think I like that love," he mumbled almost absentmindedly, using her moments of confusion to create a little bit of distance, and lay down on the blanket next to her.

'_Oh damn it all... I'll fight this out with Tayuya at a later point,'_ Temari mentally scolded herself, though she did nothing to stop herself from closing in on Genkuro. Her wildly beating heart was all she heard. Her body led, and her mind had no choice but to follow. Consequences be screwed, she wanted this, needed this.

"If you liked that kiss, perhaps you want more?" she whispered, moving herself close, their lips only inches apart.

* * *

_Author's notes_:

* * *

I don't think Tayuya will be very happy when she wakes up… sorry Tayuya-chan! Though, they didn't go beyond kissing, I kept it modest. For now. I think I'll save such things for later lemons. But I was glad the previous chapter was so well received, this story even passed the 100.000 view mark! And we're approaching 1.000 favorites too! I never expected this story to become this popular. It's humbling. I mean, the story is weird and the pairing situation is weird. And still people like it. Heh, I wonder how you like the current developments. Please let me know!

For the sake of avoiding timeline issues: I introduced Kakuzu and Hidan earlier than canon. And no, with everything going on, Asuma was unable to immediately respond when Chiriku died. Enough protagonists have died by now. Mirai should know her father, this time. The alternate timing, unfortunately, also means that the zombie duo doesn't have to back off because they have to help sealing the Sanbi…

Thank you for reading and please leave a **review**. Feedback is always much appreciated. And reviews show an author how much you guys like a chapter. The best motivation in these dark winter days! Credits: thank you **Illuminated** for editing the chapter! And **ensou **for all her advice!

* * *

-Z-


	15. Then the Quiet Explosion

**Pareidolia**

* * *

**Chapter fourteen**

**Then the Quiet Explosion**

* * *

"_Deep in the human unconscious is a pervasive need for a logical universe that makes sense. But the real universe is always one step beyond logic."_

― Frank Herbert, Dune

* * *

"Is the bounty here?" Hidan didn't show a speck of interest before, but the idea that he could kill someone had improved his mood considerablely. At the least, he was no longer getting on Kakuzu's nerves by constantly sulking.

"I picked up a rumor that there is a base of Orochimaru's in this area," Kakuzu grumbled with his deep voice. "I think we should pay the traitor a visit."

"Ghehe, yeah, Sasori would be so pissed if we find that snake before he does!"

"Don't get carried away. The guy isn't just strong, he is also extremely slippery. Not that he can beat the two of us, but it only takes mistake and he'll vanish on us. If he is even here."

"Yeah, yeah," Hidan scoffed, impatiently tapping on his scythe. "So where are we going?"

"You really are a complete idiot," Kakuzu sighed. Things would be so much easier if he could just kill the bastard, but no… '_Why did an idiot like him get immortal? Why not someone with a functioning brain?'_

The entrance was right underneath them, but being the idiot he was, Kakuzu knew that Hidan had never noticed it. Kakuzu had no illusions about entering the underground facility undetected, however. It would likely not be an easy thing. Knowing Orochimaru, there was no doubt that he had set up a wide range of traps and barriers. If he wasn't in there right now, there would at least be a chance that Kakuzu could find information describing where the snake might be instead. He did not want to give anyone the chance to run away or destroy the information he needed- because Orochimaru had one of the world's biggest bounties on his head.

* * *

Temari woke up the next morning, drowsy and at peace. At first, she didn't realize where she was. It was just too comfy to wake up. The temperature was almost as nice as usual, and the only thing missing was Tayuya folded into the mess of arms, legs, and hair in which she usually woke up. '_Tayuya!'_

She shot up, though it did little to stir the seemingly sleeping Genkuro, in a mixture of confusion, shame, and… excitement? '_What have I done?'_ the blonde gasped. '_I… we kissed! And not just once or twice… we actually made out. How could I be so stupid? Stupid stupid stupid!'_

'_This hadn't been some innocent cuddling, where he had no idea of what it could mean. No, this was… This had gone too far.' _It was not that they had gone all the way, although Temari was terrified at how much her resolve had been tested. How close had she been to… his energy, his warmth, had made her feel a bit too… well, she lost her head, she had indulged in it. The stupid fears which she repressed, had all come out. '_And he was always such a fast learner, so his kissing was… '_

Temari rushed out of their tent, leaving Genkuro where he was for now. She had to cool down. Her entire lower body was on fire. Not that it hurt. At least, not the bad kind of hurting.

'_Dammit, how could I have this little control? What kind of complete idiot am I? I'm supposed to be stronger than this. Not like some kind of lovesick girl who can't control her own heart! I have to be stronger, also for them. Tayuya is still… she has been betrayed and used so many times, if I do it too… If Tayuya wants to kill me, I can't even blame her. I'm despicable,'_ she muttered inwardly. But that would have to wait. Temari had more… _urgent_ matters to deal with.

The mere thought made her face flush with a shade of red easily rivalling and surpassing the crimson of Tayuya's hair. Though, it did nothing to stop her hand from moving down. "Stupid. Stupid, stupid traitorous body."

* * *

"It should be close," Genkuro spoke up. They had been running for a few hours now, following the path which Genkuro had seen in Orochimaru's memories. "The main entrance of the hideout is on the other side of this mountain ridge. And… Temari, are you alright?" he noticed how she was spacing out.

"Y-yes, why shouldn't I be?"

"You're all reddish. And your warmth, the whole day it has seemed to be focused on your stoma-"

"That's enough about that," she cut him off. "I'm fine. If anything, it is your fault. You radiate way too much chakra. Or whatever you call it."

"But you were already like this before we were kiss-"

"I KNOW," the kunoichi blushed a few shades deeper crimson now. "Like I said, it is your fault. In your enthusiasm, you flooded me with chakra. It's your fault, so shut up."

"…if I did something wrong, should I try again?"

"N-n-no! Let's focus on the mission now, o-okay? If you kiss me again like that…"

"But you kissed me with your tongue and all," Genkuro frowned. "Though it felt really nice, and-"

"Don't you know any embarrassment at all?" Temari snarled, trying to remain the responsible one, the one who was supposed to be in control over her emotions. Needless to say, she failed horribly at it at this moment.

"Why?"

"Because it was something very intimate!" she shrieked, losing control over her emotions. "I never kissed someone before, n-not like that at least, and you… I couldn't… we almost…" She clasped her hands in front of her mouth, and her sudden spike of aggression changed just as abruptly into a bashfulness which Genkuro had never seen in the girl. "J-just don't mention it to a-anyone." Yes, she'd need to bring this to Tayuya carefully. So that her friend would realize that Genkuro had left her no other option. _'It was his addictive warmth. If Genkuro talked about last night to Tayuya, things would… Tayuya's trust is too fragile for that.'_ "This is b-between you and me. Only you and me. Not even Tayuya, okay?"

"Okay," Genkuro smiled, not understanding it at all, but accepting it without any hesitation because Temari was the one who told him. Nothing within the memories that he had encountered within Orochimaru had showed Genkuro anything on the strange situation between him and Temari. He wanted to understand, though, because it made him happy. It was just like that dream, where that black-haired woman had leaned against him, making him feel funny. Now Temari had made him feel like that, but Genkuro had no idea how to deal with it. Why did that otherwise rather pointless appendage suddenly respond like that? Why did the sheer idea of holding her that close, of feeling her body pressed against his, reawaken that feeling, that hunger? It was a desire as deeply rooted as his hunger for all the warmth around him.

'_Do I have to restrain this new feeling, just like my usual hunger? I… No, Temari said that my hunger was wrong, that it killed people. But this feeling, she seemed to encourage it last night. She seems to have felt the same. Ugh, as soon as Tayuya is healed, I can dispose of Orochimaru. After that, I should focus on restoring my own memories. Or… well, restoring Naruto's memories. Perhaps he knows something about this?'_ Genkuro mused. Temari had fallen silent, but slightly held out her right hand.

While he had no idea why he did, he took her hand in his own, guiding her along the hidden path. He didn't know why, but the simple gesture made her blush. "We don't need to go through the front entrance. The back entrance is just as good."

Temari flushed, and nearly fell as she tripped over her own feet. "Ah-haha… ha… yes, b-back entrance. Right. Yes, of the hideout."

"What other back entrance is there?" Genkuro wondered. But Temari didn't say a word, but she grew redder and redder. She blushed so furiously that Genkuro began to think that the girl's hair would grow just as red as Tayuya's if the color kept spreading like this. Meanwhile, Temari was cursing at herself that she had to get her mind out of the gutter. Reading those Icha Icha books had left her mind tainted forever…

If not for Genkuro holding her by her hand, she would have been lost a long time ago. The combination of the shadowy crevices of the mountainside and the unclear pathways (if they could even be called paths) with her confused and high-strung state of mind was enough to make her lose any sense of direction. He, however, knew exactly where he was going.

However, he knew that they would ultimately end up with a problem: how would he open the door? It somehow was supposed to respond to Orochimaru's chakra, or so Genkuro figured from Orochimaru's memories of sealing the back entrance. But Genkuro did not have that chakra.

"Erm… This is a dead end," Temari realized why they halted.

"I know."

"Did we take a wrong turn?"

"No, this is the door. But I can't open it. Not the usual way, at least," Genkuro shrugged. "Just stand behind me," he added when he saw her look of disbelief. "There might be some debris coming our way soon," she got a little worried when she saw his mischievous smirk. She felt a bit sorry that she had to let go of his hand, though, not that she would tell him.

The earth rumbled and rock broke when Genkuro's flame-clad fist connected to where the door was supposed to be. The fortified base might have been created with the intention of resisting attacks from powerful jutsu, but it proved to be incapable of withstanding Genkuro's power.

Terrified by the sudden chaos, Temari moved so close that she was mere inches away from Genkuro's back. She could see the sweat drops from the exertion on his back, she could see his muscles move. '_Why did he pull out his haori before this? Is he showing off or something?'_

It wasn't that she really minded. But with the sight of his bare chest, as he had tied the haori around his waist, the memories of last night returned: of being so close to each other, kissing each other. The mere thought made her feel like she still had his taste in her mouth. She hadn't felt this safe in years. Even when her father was still alive, she had never felt this content. She recalled how his strong arms had embraced her, with his hard chest against hers, his…

"Oi," Genkuro held her in her arms.

"Eh?"

"You were spacing out again," Genkuro frowned. He held her in his arms, princess-style, and now that the dust that settled, Temari saw why he held her like that. He had dragged her in before the mountainside would collapse on them. And she had just been dazing off…

"I'm such a fool," she muttered, frustrated by her own traitorous mind. "I'm sorry."

"You should rest for a bit," Genkuro set her down on her own feet. "I'll be right-"

"No! No, I'll be fine. I just… I need to stay focused," Temari shook her head, grabbing his arm. "I hope the place where Tsunade is held hasn't collapsed." Yes, the subject needed to be changed, according to the blonde; changed away from the dirty thoughts which permeated her mind after last night.

"That place is deeper into the mountain. She is held in his laboratory, which Orochimaru placed in the most secure part of the facility. So she should be… fine."

"Why the moment of hesitation?" Temari inquired.

"Nothing I can't restore," Genkuro shrugged. "We need to move. But stay behind me, because I am not sure how many traps I just activated."

"We could have used the front entrance," the kunoichi sighed. "That would've been easier."

"No, it would not have been," Genkuro shook his head. "More barriers, more traps, and the doors are more difficult to destroy. At least, they are easy enough to take down, but it would trigger the destruction of the entire complex. Using the front entrance usually has more consequences on the longer term. This way was the best. But we need to move. Her life support systems are probably already failing."

He led her through a hallway where candles emitted a soft yellow glow through the dust-filled air. Temari had to restrain herself, or she would have been coughing non-stop- which would give away their position. '_As least to anyone who hadn't heard Genkuro announce our arrival with his hulk-smash,_' she sighed.

* * *

They were running, for their lives, to be exact. For both of them, it was a cause worthy of running, although they both had realized that it was probably pointless.

One of them had fair skin, dark eyes, and light blue hair which she kept in a spiky ponytail. Long strands of hair always escaped, framing her face. The concentrated grimace on her face befitted the situation they were in. Two monsters had shown up, completely out of the blue, and had waltzed right through every defense. Traps, barriers, even the strongest experiments, they had all been pointless. And she knew she too would be unable to fight them both by herself.

Things would have been different if her initial assault had succeeded. The shorter one had been completely crystalized and yet he had somehow survived. That had been a mistake for which she had nearly paid with her life. Only her companion's warning had given her the fraction of a second she had needed to evade his scythe.

"What… what is going on?"

Guren looked to her side. With her crimson hair and eyes, the bespectacled Uzumaki was cursing for some reason. If Guren was the best warrior left to Orochimaru, then Karin was the best sensor; she was one of the best scientists as well, after that accursed Kabuto. "What?" Guren snapped. "There's no time for distractions now." She knew all too well how wildly Karin's personality could fluctuate. The girl was definitely not frontline material; she completely lacked the composure and skill for that.

Before Karin could explain, however, an enormous explosion made the entire mountain tremble. The reinforced rock from which the heavily-fortified hideout was constructed had somehow succumbed to an attack. Guren knew full well that it had been designed to resist even the most powerful attacks. Cracks appeared within the walls, and dust and gravel spreading through the halls through which Guren and Karin had been rushing. Guren could hear the sounds of the collapsing mountain, and for a moment she feared that the entire complex would be destroyed, burying them under the immeasurable weight of the mountain itself. Even her strongest defenses that her shoton kekkei genkai could produce would not suffice to let her survive such an event.

"Shit! Shit shit shit shit," tears were welling up in Karin's eyes. "We're screwed!"

"What was that?" Guren coughed.

"The back entrance. Some kind insane monster forced his way in. He just took the mountainside down!" Karin despaired. "Shit, how could such a monster pop up at this time? Aren't those two freaks from Akatsuki enough already?"

"The entire place is coming down, isn't it?"

"We gotta hurry to the central research laboratory," Karin decided. "It's our only chance. Even if everything else collapses, that place should be able to withstand it. If we are lucky, those two freaks will get caught in the destruction."

"We'd be trapped," Guren didn't fear death, even though she preferred to survive. But she'd rather die in a fight than out of starvation or suffocation. Still, it was her duty, granted by Orochimaru himself, to protect Karin to the best of her ability. So even if it was only a delay of the inevitable, she was obliged to take the chance. Even if he had chosen for that pale-eyed bitch, she would still serve him. Although, the small measure of friendship between her and the red haired girl had become a factor too. '_I'm glad Yukimaru isn't living in this facility...'_

* * *

"Is this… Is this truly the famous Tsunade of the Sannin?" Temari gasped. They had arrived at the central chamber, and now the young blonde stood regarding the old woman. Unconscious and bound by iron bars, to such a degree where she would not have been able to move if she had been conscious, the woman seemed to be in a horrible condition. "Her arm…"

"This is why I didn't want Jiraiya to follow us," Genkuro sighed. "I knew that Orochimaru conducted experiments on her tissue. Something about her hailing from the Senju clan, or whatever," he shrugged. He stood in front of a large jar of transparent glass, filled with a peculiar liquid. In the jar, Genkuro saw the arm which Orochimaru had removed from Tsunade. "It is conserved perfectly. I suppose I could reattach it."

"R-reattach?" Temari stuttered. "You can- Ugh, I shouldn't even ask after the insane things I've seen you do, should I?"

He merely laughed in response, leaned towards her, and gently kissed her. "I am not the only one able to surprise others, Temari-chan."

In spite of their surroundings, Temari started blushing furiously. "B-baka, you shouldn't talk like that. I told you to keep it a secret. Even from Tayuya," she added. Though she rather meant to keep it _especially_ from Tayuya, at least until she figured out a way of how to tell her without destroying the bond she had with her foul-mouthed friend.

"Through that door," Genkuro pointed, "are several prisons. I know from Orochimaru that there is a black-haired young woman in one of those prisons. She is a very close friend of Tsunade, so we should take her out of this place as well. There should be a little pig in the same cell."

"Young woman. Black hair. Pig. Okay, I'll check it out," Temari sighed. "It's not like I can help you with this. Unless you need my nodachi to break those restraints. But the sooner we get out of this eerie place, the better. The weird machinery, the test subjects… this place is a nightmare."

"It's just a little bit of iron, so I'll manage. Attaching her arm is easier while she's unable to move anyway," he frowned. "But you are right. We should not linger here for too long."

As Temari hurried to find Tsunade's companions, Genkuro focused on Tsunade herself, because reattaching her arm was no easy task, even for him. Connecting the dead flesh to the living wasn't particularly difficult, but linking all the veins, nerves, and muscles was… _challenging_. Not to mention that the tissue itself, even though it was well preserved, was dead. Reconnecting it would only mean that it would be rejected later on. After all, the limb lacked any physical energy.

'_All that is left to me is changing her constitution a little. Not too much, though. Orochimaru's memories concerning her suggested that she is extremely durable, so she should be able to take it,'_ Genkuro mused. '_Well, I should take precautions this time. Their chakra seems different from my own, so unless I narrow it down, it would be incompatible with hers.__'_

Yes, that was something which Genkuro had been thinking about after Tayuya collapsed from using the fragment of his power. A normal human constitution seemed incapable of dealing with his 'warmth'. Now, with the knowledge he had gained from Orochimaru while seeking the memories of Tsunade, Genkuro understood that chakra was something inherently different. A mixture of the spiritual and physical energies. The issue in this would be that Genkuro was different. His physical energy was simply incomparable to that of a normal human being, even though he created his body as a reasonably good replica. Considering that he was the reborn form of Naruto, and perhaps of the Kyuubi as well, Genkuro suspected that his spiritual energy would be deviating as well.

'_Unless I find a way to boost her own energies, and manipulate those in such a way that the arm is connected properly?__'_ Genkuro scratched his chin as he thought about it. The flesh was hers, so it could work. However, the offset would be a high probability that her chakra coils would not function properly, because those were the hardest to preserve. And after the time the arm had spent away from the main body, on its own morbid little vacation, those coils had been the first to deteriorate.

'_Good thing she has this thing,__'_ he looked at the diamond-shaped seal on the woman's forehead. Though it had nearly no chakra left, Genkuro guessed that it was better for him to push energy through that seal. In addition, it would be more secure for her. '_And there was something about her regenerative abilities being linked to the seal as well__…'_

Seeing to it that the arm reattached, Genkuro was focused on healing and rejuvenating the Senju. At this point, Temari returned to the main laboratory, half-carrying Shizune. While always slender, the weeks or months of imprisonment had left her undernourished to the point of appearing near skeletal. Although weak and sickly, the young woman was able to stay conscious- conscious enough to cry when she saw Tsunade.

"She and her pig were practically starved to death," Temari explained when she saw Genkuro looking at them. She lay down the unconscious Tonton. "She is awake, but weak too. It seems like they were just barely kept alive, probably as hostages to ensure that Tsunade remained cooperative."

"…su-de-sa-ma," Shizune, her hair long and messy, croaked.

"She'll live," Genkuro nodded. "Not sure about the arm. But we've got no time left, so I'm going to wake her up. But first…" he walked over to Shizune, and put his hand on her forehead. A shot of energy rushed through the young woman's body, nearly making her moan. Something about the warmth was just too comfortable, too enjoyable, almost to the point where it would be addictive. It wasn't enough to make her feel like before she was captured, but it gave her the energy to move again. By the looks of it, he did the exact same thing for the little piglet. And although pigs don't moan, it did oink in a rather satisfied way.

With the brunette back on her own feet, albeit severely weakened, Genkuro proceeded to tear the iron bars away which held Tsunade pinned to the wall. With wide eyes, Shizune observed how he tore the iron pins out of the wall with nothing more than his bare hands. The ease by which he did it was astounding, even to someone who was well-acquainted with Tsunade's tremendous physical abilities.

Shizune was, however, not the only one who was shocked by the display of inhuman strength. Guren and Karin gasped, seeing that the last place they had thought to be safe from the imminent collapse of the mountain, was filled with people capable of such an act. Even Karin, who had sensed an anomaly and warned Guren, was left speechless.

That same Guren was also the first to jump into action again. Her years of training kicking in, Guren knew that she had to focus on one enemy at the time. Racing through five hand seals, the kunoichi created a wall of solid crystal behind herself, closing off the entrance to the room. It was inevitable that she had to fight, so she'd rather first deal with the threat in front of her. The threat which seemed to be the least difficult to overcome.

"Stand back, Karin."

"G-Guren, you're not thinking of fighting _that,_ are you?"

"You think I can lose to someone who can die?" Guren huffed. "Stay out of this. Orochimaru might have deemed me unfit to be his next vessel, but I _will_ succeed in the mission has given me."

Genkuro paid them little attention. He focused on the iron bars holding back Tsunade, and called the two kunoichi to his side to prevent the Senju from falling down, now that only three restraints were in place. "Temari-chan, you keep these two," he looked at the pig, "um, three, safe."

With one last rush of energy, Genkuro woke up the elderly Senju. At least, she looked old, with all the wrinkles, and the way she had been deprived of proper nourishment. "Tsunade-sama," Shizune smiled, when she saw her master's brown eyes flutter.

"Shi… Shizune… h-how…"

A loud bang overwhelmed the sound of her voice. Clad in a crystalline armor, Guren's fists clashed against Genkuro's. The exchange was short and fierce, but it was Guren who jumped back first.

"My Kessho no Yoroi… you can withstand it?" she blinked, staring at the cracks in her armor.

"You are awfully loyal to the dead," Genkuro smiled faintly. This was exactly mockingly enough to make the ill-tempered kunoichi snap, even though that had not been his intention.

"Shoton: Kessho Gokakuro!" (Crystal release: crystal pentagonal prison)

Within the blink of an eye, a pink crystal grew and encased Genkuro. It trapped him, and he hovered motionlessly amidst the nigh-unbreakable material. "Not so arrogant now, are you," Guren smirked.

Unsheathing her nodachi, Temari prepared to fight. While it seemed impossible to her that this shinobi from Otogakure had managed to kill Genkuro, he did seem to be immobilized.

"One down, three to…" Guren stopped when cracks appeared in the crystal. "Impossible… my shoton… can't be defeated… not like this!"

"He never has been very well versed in common logic," Temari said dryly. '_That green dress of hers, it has one long left sleeve and a short right one, is that due to it being damaged or not? That white, fluffy collar is shredded to bits, and her brown gloves have seen better days as well… they look like they were running from something. Is there someone else besides us?'_

"This rocky stuff is created with chakra," Genkuro apologized. He picked up one of the shards that had fallen on the ground around him. "And this stuff isn't that sturdy either. Ah well, as I was saying, you two shouldn't be so loyal to someone who has already died," he turned back to Guren. And Karin, who was hiding behind the shoton shinobi.

"Dead?" Guren glared at him. Karin had warned her that one of the chakra patterns she had seen was extremely strange, but now Guren saw her opponent in the flesh… those orbs of fire which apparently were his eyes freaked her out. '_This is the one who destroyed the back entrance.'_

"Orochimaru. You said you follow his orders."

"You want to make me believe that Orochimaru-sama is dead?" Guren began to laugh, though when she saw how calm he remained, she broke off. "Bastards. To think you Akatsuki scum would still go after Orochimaru-sama-"

"We are not Akatsuki," Genkuro shook his head. "Nevertheless, he deserved to die for what he did." Well, he had not completely died yet, but within Genkuro the sannin had no chance of escape. Especially now that half of the convict's memories had been shattered. "He, the guy with the spectacles, that Kimi-whatshisname, and the Sound Four were all part of your little village."

"All dead, because of you?" she clenched her teeth, attempting to contain her anger.

"For what he did to Hinata, he suffers a fate worse than that," Genkuro narrowed his 'eyes'. Temari noticed how the temperature in the room began to drop, and warned Tsunade and Shizune to hurry to the point furthest from him. She knew all too well how dangerous Genkuro could become.

And then she saw the half-ram seal which Genkuro formed. '_So he really… Honen said that Genkuro was so unreasonably powerful because he had mastered the Raigo: Senjusatsu, or whatever he called it. Shaping a god out of chakra. But instead of creating a chakra construct, Genkuro created his own body. This jutsu truly only serves as a way to amplify his own physical strength, and he was able to trade blows with Kimimaro and his Shikotsumyaku before the monks even taught him!'_ Now that she knew what to look for, Temari noticed the minor differences. The way his muscles were accentuated, how his eyes started to glow with a higher intensity, how the tone of his skin reddened ever so slightly; the changes were barely noticeable. But Temari knew him better than anyone. She saw it. She _felt_ it. The way his aura solidified around him. '_This was how he destroyed the entrance.'_

A spear from the hardest crystal that she could create encased her arm as Guren charged forward, oblivious to the change. Until Genkuro grabbed the spear with only one hand, heedlessly breaking the crystal and tossing the kunoichi away.

Perhaps if she had not been in a fight earlier, Guren could have dodged it. '_All that is left now is to sacrifice my own life force,'_ she thought solemnly. '_That would mean that I cannot fight off the other two… Shit. Shit! This day couldn't have been any worse!'_

As if on a cue, the crystal wall that closed off the entrance to this laboratory suddenly caved in. With a crash, a man landed in one of the electrical devices, making it explode.

'_I just had to think it…_' Guren could slap herself in the face. But the unexpected arrival distracted Genkuro, so she rushed to Karin. She rushed while she still could, because Guren knew who had just crashed through the crystal.

"Fucking hell!" a male voice roared from the smoke. "Kakuzu, you filthy heathen, how the fuck can you throw me like that!"

"You said 'break it', so I used the most disposable tool I had available: you, Hidan," the deep grumbling voice from Kakuzu replied. "But you are wasting time, kill that bitch. I'll take down the red hair, she seems to know more about Orochimaru and his… is that… ghehe, it is!"

"What the fuck is it this time," Hidan snarled, "You geriatric old fool."

"Senju Tsunade of the sannin," Kakuzu chuckled darkly. "And she'll earn me a hefty price."

"Money, money, money… Stupid greedy heathen, all you care about is your stupid money," Hidan spat. "Fine, you get the red hair and the old tart, but the others are mine to offer to Jashin-sama!"

Looking at the girls, Genkuro made a split second decision. "I suppose that concludes our fight," he said indifferently, looking at Guren. "Ah well, apart from your blind faith in Orochimaru, you are not a completely heartless person. Your heart isn't as cold as you seem to think. Those two from Akatsuki, on the other hand…"

"Oh, hoho, he knows about us?" Hidan smirked. "Such a good boy. Now tell me, where can I get eyes like yours? They look wicked!"

"Hidan of Yugakure and Kakuzu of Takigakure, the data which Orochimaru collected on you two seems rather incomplete," the blond frowned. "While the big guy is considered a threat, the information does suggest that the little big-mouth is a complete idiot and a weakling. Figures."

"Weak… weakling?" Hidan snapped. "You filthy piece of trash, you dare-"

One bone-rattling punch later, and Hidan could only mumble something inaudible from the hole in the wall where he landed.

"If only it would be so easy to kill that idiot," Kakuzu sighed, pulling his teammate out of the rock. Well, after using Hidan's face a battering ram to get through the crystal barrier, Kakuzu couldn't be blamed for not trying to kill Hidan either. It just never worked.

The chest was caved in and his arm twisted in several odd angles, but it didn't seem to faze Hidan too much. Even Genkuro, by all accounts a freak of nature himself, felt confused that his punch had so little effect. "That fucking hurt!" Hidan exclaimed. "That's it! I'm going crazy, you just stay out Kakuzu!"

"You are perpetually insane," the other Akatsuki member shook his head, and returned to the entrance of the laboratory. With the back entrance of the facility destroyed, this was the only way to exit the room. Kakuzu was experienced enough to know that. After all, Genkuro had been everything but subtle.

"Shut up," Hidan took his scythe to hands, and walked over to Genkuro while 'correcting' his arm. The sickening sounds of bones popping back into the right pace made Temari a bit nauseous. But to Hidan, it was ecstasy. To suffer for Jashin was the highest state of bliss one could reach, according to the deranged cultist, at least.

The triple-bladed scythe was an odd contraption, Temari observed. For someone acting as bloodthirstily as Hidan, the weapon itself didn't seem lethal at all. The weapon, attached to a strong metal cable, flew at Genkuro, who leaned back on his heels. Not seeing the point of the man being an S-ranked nukenin, Genkuro simply caught the weapon as it flew by, and rushed at Hidan again.

In the battle style which the monks had attempted to teach him, Genkuro had found one move particularly useful. However, the destructive consequences had made him wary of using the jutsu. With his already impressive physical ability, Genkuro had not needed it in combat yet- but this time the opponent just didn't stay down.

"Raigo: Shihai," (welcoming approach: domination) was a move which Arata had taught him, albeit unintentionally. Genkuro had simply repeated what he had seen the elder monk do, and… well, it worked. Extremely well. He gathered a large amount of warmth to his fist, although less than what he used to take down the door earlier, and formed one massive solid fist of fire. This fist knocked Hidan to the knees, burning his clothes and his chest. But this had only been the opening move. Countless 'fists' made out of chakra surrounded Hidan, and while none of them were as destructive as the first, the relentless continuous assault would be able to strip away every layer of defense.

Even Kakuzu frowned when he saw the crater in the floor, smoke and dust forming a cloud, making it impossible to see Hidan. '_And that guy doesn__'__t even look like he__'__s worn out. Peculiar, I would suppose a guy with this level would have an entry in the bingo books. But while I__'__ve memorized all the bounties, I__'__ve never seen his mug. And as Hidan remarked: those eyes do stand out.__'_

"It still won't be enough," the former shinobi of Takigakure shrugged. "That guy is too stupid to die."

The scythe that Genkuro was loosely holding in his hands suddenly jerked back, scratching Genkuro's arm in the process. Genkuro, who merely was interested in how the man could have survived that attack, had been caught off guard. Without bragging, Genkuro knew that he was _strong_. While he had attempted to create a proper human body, he knew that the result exceeded that- by quite a margin. In addition, due to him being who (or what) he was, Genkuro had never really met an adversary who could withstand his attacks when he wasn't holding back. At least, not at this point. Kimimaro had been a good opponent, but at that time Genkuro had possessed less knowledge and strength.

"Fucking hell, that one hurt like a bitch!" Hidan growled, dragging himself out of the small crater. Kakuzu already knew what was coming, and felt mostly indifferent, but the others…

Guren had put several lances of crystal through the man, and every time Hidan had stood up from it, so she had not been surprised, although she had not been able to launch an attack as destructive as Genkuro's either. Temari, Shizune, and Tsunade, on the other hand, didn't know what to think anymore. The piglet did, as it tried to crawl behind Shizune. Unfazed he might seem, but Karin did sense that Hidan's chakra had dropped significantly.

"Jashin-sama will be very pleased with such an offering," Hidan lifted the scythe from the ground, and after painting a strange symbol on the ground with his own blood, he licked what little of Genkuro's blood that had been drawn by the weapon.

The change was immediate, and Genkuro wondered what the man achieved with it. There seemed to be some changes in the man's warmth, but nothing that indicated that the man had become more powerful. On the contrary, he had been weakened by the previous barrage of attacks. Genkuro wondered why Hidan just didn't stay down.

"I see… Your warmth is rooted," Genkuro tilted his head somewhat. "I have never seen a human like you before, so for a moment I thought we would be a bit similar. But to think that it would be this simple... How disappointing you are. Orochimaru was right."

"Simple? Hah! You have been cursed. The ritual has commenced, so let us savor the utmost of pain together!"

Dragging a black metal spike from under the remains of his cloak, Hidan suddenly stabbed himself.

"What the…" Genkuro started to wonder what the man was doing to himself in the midst of combat, until he felt his own leg. At the exact same spot as Hidan stabbed himself, Genkuro's leg had started to bleed. The red liquid quickly soaking the white fabric of his pants. '_Hmm, I suppose it was the right call to remove my haori. It always ended up being shredded when I used the monk__'__s jutsu, but I had not expected to meet someone in here who could ruin my clothes like that__…'_

"Hurts, don't it?" Hidan laughed. Due to his remark, Temari and the others noticed Genkuro's wound. "It always feels so incredibly sweet when the pain of my dying victims permeates through my body! The blessings of Jashin are truly with me."

"I suppose Orochimaru's judgement about you was wrong," Genkuro admitted. "You actually made me bleed."

"Of course that fucker was wrong! That heathen could never appreciate true immortality such as-"

"You are far weaker than his data indicated," Genkuro continued, cutting off Hidan's rambling. "You are just a bug who is hard to crush, that's all."

"You… you filthy heathen," the religious fanatic seethed. "DIE!"

Stabbing himself in the chest, Hidan pierced his own heart. And Genkuro's with it. Spitting out blood, Genkuro collapsed, still smiling impudently at the immortal.

"Genkuro!"

But he didn't respond. There was so much blood, too much blood. Her entire view was blocked out by the crimson liquid… Tsunade didn't like seeing blood.

The traumatic memories of Dan and Nawaki always returned when she saw it, leaving her too shell-shocked to move. It was a fact which Orochimaru had happily exploited, back when he had somehow found her. That, and the fact that he had taken Shizune as a hostage, had left the Senju with little choice but to work for him, even though she had initially refused the temptation of seeing her loved ones again. She knew that Orochimaru's offer would be a lie, an insult to their memories, and yet… what would have happened if she had chosen to run? Shizune would never have been taken captive, and all this would have been avoided.

Well, it would not have mattered. Danzo had wanted to get rid of her, so wherever she would have fled, Orochimaru would have ended up capturing her. But the princess of the Senju clan did not know that, so she blamed herself for what happened to Shizune, to Tonton, to Dan, to Nawaki…

Her weak legs could not carry all those burdens, and she fell to her knees. Her tears running down her wrinkled old face, her eyes staring into a distant nothingness, the sight of Genkuro left the catatonic sannin incapacitated without even a single blow. How could a greedy bounty hunter such as Kakuzu, aware of the huge amount of ryo her head was worth, resist such an easy target?

Much to Hidan's annoyance, Kakuzu did not resist the temptation. "I told you not to interfere, Kakuzu!"

"Then you shouldn't waste this much time," said shinobi growled back while rushing towards his target.

Channelling wind chakra through her nodachi, Temari did attempt to stop him. But unlike Hidan, Kakuzu held his rank due to his skill and not merely because of his immortality, or nigh-immortality. With the back of his hand, Kakuzu swatted the blade aside, shattering it, followed with a punch to the gut that forced the blonde skidding over the ground, before he…

Shizune gasped when she saw the anger on Genkuro's face, as he appeared next to Kakuzu. It was all the warning he got before he was blasted away. _'An explosion which erupted from his eyes?__'_ Shizune couldn't believe what she saw. In a blur of movement, Genkuro was the one who stood straight while Kakuzu, with a hole in his chest, fell down.

Amidst the chaos, Guren nodded to Karin, and the two kunoichi seized their chance to escape. They would be long gone before any of the others would even notice them missing.

"What the… I killed you, dammit!"

"Perhaps," Genkuro shrugged, indifferent about whether Hidan was right or not. "But I was already dead. Or am I alive again? Who can tell…"

"The hell is that supposed to mean?"

"It means this guy has been walking on the path towards immortality as well," Kakuzu rose up. '_In one blow he took out my heart. Damn… how is it possible that someone this strong popped up out of nowhere?__'_

"The path toward immortality? No, I died. And then I returned. I created my own body, so why would I suffer death if it was damaged? I would simply repair whatever damage it suffer. So, you have four sources of warmth left…"

Kakuzu dropped his cloak, revealing a body which seemed to be torn asunder and stitched back together again. A monstrosity, as if many body parts had been connected by the odd black hair-like threads. And four masks, including one now shattered, decorated the deformed body.

Genkuro could see the centers of Kakuzu's energy. Normally, humans only had one such center, the heart, but Kakuzu had multiple. '_Was that how he survived? Then I would have to kill him again. Four times… And unlike the moron, this guy has a tremendous amount of warmth.__'_

Hidan was frustrated, especially because he was being ignored again. All those heretics who saw him as a rambling fool, all those who insulted the glory of Jashin, he would kill them all. So he drove his scythe into his own stomach, tearing himself open, and Genkuro with him.

It made Genkuro falter for a moment, but it wasn't enough. He had created his own body, so repairing it was easy enough for him. It was annoying and painful, yes, but nothing that put him in danger. It was merely annoying, but not half as annoying as seeing Temari getting hurt. Genkuro had always felt a need to protect Temari, but now… something else had reacted. That 'something' which had awoken when they kissed. It was something possessive, something yearning for her proximity, something obsessive. They had hurt Temari. Why did he feel the same sort of anger as when Hinata had died?

Two high-level jutsu, one katon, one futon, descended on him. Kakuzu had gladly made use of the opening which Hidan had created. Sadly, the man had made a rather poor choice of elements.

"You attempt to use warmth to harm me?" Genkuro chuckled darkly. The flames twirled around him, flowing into two orbs. He merely pointed the way, but the fires obeyed his commands, as always. Kakuzu's flames flowed through Genkuro, healing the injuries which Hidan had inflicted. Now the flames were Genkuro's, was ruler over the element, the sovereign of all fire. It was a fact which all of them would have to learn.

Genkuro had noticed earlier that Hidan never left the circle-like symbol on the ground, and that the man had connected his warmth to that symbol. '_I have restrained myself for long enough. It is time for me to feast on their warmth. I will consume them all!__'_

"Hidan, dodge th-" Kakuzu realized too late what was about to happen. Hidan was engulfed in the blackened flames, with a dumb expression of pure surprise plastered on his face. No one had ever attacked him like that while he was connected to his target's life force, and never had the immortal shinobi met an opponent such as Genkuro. No matter how Hidan cheated his way out of it, he still held a position in the cycle of life and death. Forcibly frozen, perhaps, but he was still 'alive'. As a living being, how could he compete with Genkuro? Genkuro, who had died and yet returned, who stood outside the reason of life and death.

Following Genkuro's desire to devour warmth, the flames had twisted into darkness rather than brightness. The flames consumed every last bit of Hidan's warmth, slowly disintegrating the man's undying body, until the shinobi of Akatsuki fell apart as nothing but ashes. Ashes, devoid of any shred of chakra, devoid of physical, spiritual, and natural chakra. In disbelief, Kakuzu saw the man who had been able to survive any attack that even someone as strong as him threw at him, perish. With one flick of his fingers, the flames returned to Genkuro, restoring all the warmth he had lost during to the fight. However, it was insufficient to satisfy his hunger.

Always, he had to reign in his instincts. Temari had said it was wrong. Tayuya had frowned upon it. So Genkuro had tried to live like a normal human, ignoring his hunger, eating like a human. But the hunger for the addictive warmth of others always remained there. The glorious feeling of bathing in their flames was greatly superior to the human way of feeding. But every time when Genkuro feasted on the warmth of others, he hungered for more.

"Raigo: Kyosei," (welcoming approach: bravado). Genkuro was done playing around. Kakuzu had dared to attack Temari, and now he would pay the price. Plus, Kakuzu possessed a lot of that delicious warmth with those four sources on him. So Genkuro reinforced his own body, using his warmth just as the monks had shown him. Kyosei, the ultimate defense, was the outward hardening of a chakra barrier which surrounded the body. The monks used it as a way to use the 'deity', which they summoned with their mastery over the Senzoku no Sai, as a shield- an impenetrable defense.

Of course, Genkuro would be slowed down, and could not use his warmth in order to attack freely, but he had realized that he would need this. The jutsu which Kakuzu created were powerful enough to weaken even Genkuro. They were strong enough to pose a threat to the integrity of the body Genkuro had created for himself. Dodging, with Temari, Shizune and Tsunade behind him, was no option either- he needed to be their shield.

But Kakuzu was not in the mood to continue this battle. He had just seen his unkillable teammate being killed, by someone other than himself, by someone who had taken out one of his hearts in one hit.

"Who are you? Did Orochimaru create you?" he growled. He wasn't feeling too comfortable, hating and begrudging the growing feeling of fear that he now felt. Not since facing the Shodaime Hokage, Senju Hashirama, had Kakuzu felt like this. He had been so used to the overwhelming advantage in experience that he had compared to his opponents, that facing someone so _alien_, someone so distant from any form of normal logic… it felt terrifying. '_At this point, I am beginning to doubt whether I can defeat him even when using underhanded tactics. If I were capable of getting past him, I might take those women as hostages. But he is faster than I am, so I doubt that will work. How frustrating__…'_

Now that he thought about it, this guy could pose a threat to their entire organization. He needed to warn them. '_Yes, if anyone is able to defeat this guy, it will be Pein.__'_

"Orochimaru? He would wish he created me," Genkuro shook his head. "No, I killed the snake. I killed the idiot. And now it is time for the main dish…"

"Yeah… how about no?" Kakuzu couldn't help retorting, before he turned and ran, unknowingly taking advantage of Genkuro's poor choice of jutsu. Money was precious to him, but his life was more important. Once, loyalty had been important too, but that had been before his sanctimonious village had sold him out. Shunning him for failing a mission that no one could ever hope to accomplish, casting him out had been their thanks for nearly losing his life for their sakes. Never would he do such a thing again. Money was what made the world move. Money was impartial. Money was honest. So he had become loyal to money, rather than people.

But what good would money be if he were dead?

'_Akatsuki will understand that the information I possess is more important than the bounty on the Senju__'__s head. Zetsu will have to figure out who that crazy guy was. Why couldn__'__t Hidan kill him? And how the hell did he manage to kill Hidan? Nothing makes any sense!__'_

* * *

_Author's notes_:

* * *

Why am I still referring to Naruto as Genkuro? Well, I answered that more or less in the story already, but for those who are concerned: he will be Naruto again. Like I said, just learning his name wouldn't magically restore his memories. That would be a shounen-cliché, but I'd rather not go there. If anything, I aim to make this story atypical. So Genkuro will remain Genkuro, until Naruto returns. But, and now I am a teasing you a bit, ask yourself this: where are Genkuro's memories stored?

Thank you for reading, and I hope you'll leave a review. I thank **ensou **for her help and feedback. And I thank, as always, **Illuminated** for his efforts as my beta. This chapter wouldn't have been there without you all! And in case you are wondering: what took him so long to publish the next chapter… I unfortunately have less time to spend on writing than I once had, so I'll be forced to slow down a bit. And Illuminated is a daddy, so he can't always edit as fast as he would like. So don't be afraid, this fic won't be dropped, even though our real lives may slow us down a bit!

Oh, and do you think Hidan's scythe would be a proper weapon for Temari?

* * *

-Z-


	16. Wirewalker

**Pareidolia**

* * *

**Chapter fifteen**

**Wirewalker**

* * *

"_An acquaintance merely enjoys your company, a fair-weather companion flatters when all is well, a true friend has your best interests at heart and the pluck to tell you what you need to hear."_

― E.A. Bucchianeri

* * *

It felt like she fell into a deep dark crevice, a never-ending fall. The ridge was close, yet somehow she couldn't latch on to it. It was blistering to even get close. Her hands couldn't endure it, even that one time when she almost got a hold on it, she had been forced to let go.

The flow of time was odd. Seconds felt like eons, minutes like years, and hours like days. There was no logic which she could perceive. Almost as if she was trapped in some kind of strange nightmare. Only it was too real, it felt too real, to be a dream. The atmosphere changed, the lighting from above shifted, leaving the entire crevice darkened at times, or filled with raging flames which passed through her without causing harm. It was almost…

Something about this environment resonated in the core of her being. At first, it was confusing, a confusion so great that it bordered panic. There was an unending desire to resolve a question that one didn't even know in the first place. Frustration flowed over into some slivers of happiness. The crevice had seemed brighter at that moment, the air not as scorching- almost… loving? She couldn't tell. She couldn't, because it transformed into something far worse.

The lights vanished, and with it the temperature dropped to a biting cold, then sorrow, regret, rage- an unfathomable fury. It made her afraid that something this… this _vile_ could exist. It was barely human, just a primordial desire, a complete insanity; it was nothing like the tender and loving sensation she had felt before. This was utter madness, a hunger so deep that it made her shiver, more than the glacial temperatures could ever make her do- it was ravenous, only aiming at utter destruction.

For moments, or perhaps centuries, she believed that she would perish, being swallowed by some monstrous entity that rested at the bottom of the crevice, because she was still falling. For ever and ever, she fell.

She fell until the lights returned. They were dimmed this time, softer and more fragile than before the darkness. They were like a chilly morning in the middle of winter, uncomfortable when stepping out of the door, yet beautiful to behold from behind the window. While not as cold as the night before, something had taken away the unrelenting heat that permeated through the crevice before. Something changed… but what?

Sorrows, worries, a tiring burden of regret too great to bear, those were the things she felt. It made the sensation of falling almost seem like running away from the pain that resided above, on the top of the crevice. Confused, she touched her own cheeks, marveling in the realization that she was crying. Crying, simply from the… whatever it was, all around her. She felt as if a source of comfort was close, yet she couldn't see. It was as if the source kept itself at a distance, for reasons beyond her understanding.

'_What the hell is this shit?'_ These emotions-that-were-not-hers were completely out of sync with her own. '_What is the fucked up illusion? Dream? Fuck, I don't want to splatter down on the fucking bottom of this shithole. Ugh, at best I would wake up. Or if this thing is real, I'll die… that would suck. When I was still around that Snake, I wouldn't have minded that much. But now with life around the Bimbo and Genkuro… it would be unfair. It would be fucking unfair! I can't die when my fucked-up life is finally going a little better.'_

It made her feel lonely. She felt cold, almost indifferent, as she was numbed by a pain of which she didn't know the source. All she wanted was to make this go back to the way it was before. The unrelenting heat was far better than this pain. It was the lesser of two evils. But at least it was an evil that she felt she could recover from.

'_Where did that thought come from?'_

She prayed that the warmth would return. Implored whatever man, god, or demon that ruled this otherworldly realm to change this reality. Lo and behold, her wish was granted. Slowly but surely, the icy air heated up a little. The cold, bright light turned to a cozier and warmer hue. After the deep dark, this was elation. It was as confusing as it was pleasant, to such a degree that she blushed, realizing how her body responded. It still confused her that she could feel this amazing. In all her years as Orochimaru's servant, Tayuya had never felt anything but anger. This specific part of her body had only served to increase her rage once a month. It was disappointing that the sensation ended so soon. If only it had lasted for a little while longer…

She squirmed, but once it ended she realized that the light wasn't as emotionless as before. The air was not as cold, the indifference was gone. She had no idea what kind of dream this was, yet still she felt relief; although the fear remained. The fear for the dark entity below, the all-consuming darkness, remained.

'_How deep is this shithole?'_

She had no clue how long she had been falling. The crevice still seemed as bottomless as the start, and the top still as unreachably high. It made her feel insignificant, when comparing her own size to this endless pit. It was as if she fell from the highest mountain all the way down to the core of the earth itself. The stone wall next to her was always at the same distance. Almost close enough to reach out to, just too far to get a good hold on. Nor did she trust that she could use her chakra like usual, to strengthen her arms so that she could endure the shock of suddenly stopping with her fall.

The only thing that really changed was the entire atmosphere around her: the light, the temperature, the… the _feelings_. She couldn't find a better word to describe the otherworldly sensation. Right now, it wasn't as cold as earlier, although it didn't reach the high temperatures of before, either. It was a bit boring, almost.

'_Indifference… yeah, that's the right fucking word for this feeling.'_

But slowly the sensations changed. From the depths below, she felt the hungering beast growl, desiring something, everything, to feast on everything in the world. She feared that thing. She feared that it would gobble her up, along with everything else, but she couldn't stop her fall. Gravitation forced her to head down, with speeds she couldn't even estimate. Each moment, the ground came closer. The ravenous beast awaiting her below would get to her.

If this was a nightmare, it was the most realistic and haunting nightmare ever.

The fear subsided as the monstrous hunger was reigned in. Impatience was what dominated now. Hope, fear, but above all impatience. '_Why the fuck would anyone be impatient in this shithole?'_ was the last thought that crossed her mind.

* * *

"It isn't surprising that she fell into a comatose condition like this," Tsunade muttered. "What on earth happened to her? This is unlike any form of chakra poisoning I've ever seen. Shizune, could you? This damnable hand…"

"Yes, Tsunade-sama."

"Jiraiya, what on earth happened to this girl?"

"If we knew, hime, we would have fixed it," Jiraiya sighed. In the middle of the morning the group had suddenly popped up, startling the sleeping Jiraiya. Honen, who had been on watch at the time, had never seen the quartet, or quintet coming, if one would count Tonton, the emaciated piglet. "She collapsed during the fight, and from what I gather she used some of Genkuro's chakra. She hasn't responded to anything, although Shion said she heard her moan one evening. Not sure if the priestess is right, considering she's been out cold the entire time. I'll have to admit that the scary bit of her condition is that Genkuro didn't know what to do."

"Who is he really, anyway?"

"I was Uzumaki Naruto," Genkuro spoke up. "He died, and came back, only to become me."

"…"

"He isn't joking, hime," Jiraiya sighed. "Naruto died during the invasion on Konoha. I buried him myself. And yet here he is. The problem is that he doesn't remember much about his former life."

"Not yet," Genkuro agreed. "But I will. Hinata showed me how to enter my inner world, so I will restore all my mirrors." Tsunade frowned, confused by the remark. "There is a hall of mirrors, and each mirror represents a part of my memories. Usually, mirrors are intact, but in my case they were all broken. Perhaps it was due to my return to the world of the living. I do not know what happened."

However, the way the attack from Hidan had failed to work had made Genkuro wonder whether he was truly alive or not. He knew he had been bound to his body, back when one of the previous magatama had appeared. But the fatal attack had meant nothing to him. Was he alive? Was he dead? '_Or am I neither alive nor dead? It would explain why I am so fundamentally different from everyone else.'_

"It is true," Jiraiya confirmed, when Tsunade looked at him, not believing the claim Genkuro made. "It is completely insane, but it is true. Hell, I saw how he took down Orochimaru, and I still can't fathom his true power."

"Orochimaru?"

"I destroyed him," Genkuro shrugged. "But that doesn't matter, what matters is-"

"Doesn't matter?" the Senju exclaimed. "How can you be so casual about-"

"TAYUYA," Genkuro growled. "I didn't drag you out of that stupid cave and reattach your arm for stupid pleasantries. I killed that piece of filth, yes, but that is irrelevant. I brought you here to heal Tayuya, not to talk about that annoying pest of a snake."

"Genkuro… Don't be so hard on her," Temari put a hand on his arm, trying to calm him down. She knew how shocked Tsunade still was, it was clear to be seen. She, Shizune, and Tonton were more or less healed by Genkuro before they travelled from Orochimaru's destroyed hideout, but they were still thin and weakened- especially Tsunade, who could barely use her reattached arm. The chakra coils in her arm were too damaged to tolerate more than a tiny sliver of chakra through them, rendering the limb practically useless. Worse, making hand seals was practically impossible now. But it wasn't so much the handicap which bothered the Senju, no, it was the time she had been imprisoned. The mental scars weighed heavily on the old woman, although she had taken a younger appearance after Genkuro put enough energy through her to rekindle the Byakugo no In.

The woman was not capable of using the 'strength of a hundred' seal just yet. Genkuro had considered the risk of that jutsu, and feared that the chance of rejection would be too high, making her arm worse rather than better.

"I know," Genkuro sighed. "Just do your job, and you're free to run away again."

"You haughty brat," Tsunade hissed. "I don't know who you think you are, but-"

"Fear. Above all other things, I sense fear in you. You are a coward, running away from your own past, running away from yourself. I know how Orochimaru manipulated you. I've seen it in his memories. I see who you are, Senju Tsunade, even though it seems you don't want to yourself. Now, focus on Tayuya." Even Temari frowned when she heard the commanding tone in Genkuro's voice.

"Hime, don't," Jiraiya stepped in, knowing all too well how Tsunade would respond to this approach. "You can't beat him."

"What dies should remain dead," Genkuro spoke with an odd tremor in his voice. "For the dead to walk in the world of the living means a suffering none of you can comprehend. Returning the dead is the most foolish wish a living soul could have."

Tsunade looked away, because he pointed out exactly how Orochimaru managed to capture her. "How… How do you know…"

"Tsunade-sama," Shizune frowned. She was usually ignoring it when her master was being stubborn, so she focused on scanning Tayuya's arms. This was where she found something troubling. "Her coils, it is almost like… It's seems like petrification?"

"What?"

"Her coils, it is barely noticeable, but there is a thin layer of… well, it seems stone," Shizune frowned.

"Stone," Jiraiya scratched his chin. "Genkuro, didn't you say that you gather natural energy?" The blond nodded in response. "With the toads… when a person has too much natural chakra inside, without the necessary physical and spiritual energies to balance it, there is a big risk of petrification."

"Why?" Genkuro blinked. "Why does it need to be balanced? It's just warmth. What does it matter where it is from?"

"To you it doesn't, but to Tayuya…" the sage pointed at the ailing girl. "To her it does. She's a human, and has human limitations. Hime, can you heal the girl?"

"Sure, though it might take some time with this crappy arm of mine."

"Whatever it takes, do it," Genkuro felt Temari squeeze in his arm, and he felt the relief radiating from her. Although, he felt a little confused… '_Why is she afraid?'_

* * *

"Kakuzu," the shadowy figure sounded somewhat surprised. "Where is Hidan? Don't tell me you found a way to kill him? I thought he would be the one partner who would last a while with you…"

"Hidan was killed, yes, but unfortunately not by me."

"Oh… so there is someone out there capable of killing Hidan?"

"Yes, Pein-sama," Kakuzu growled. "I was forced to retreat. I hate to admit it, but someone who is capable of killing both Orochimaru and Hidan is-"

"Orochimaru?" the purple ripple-patterned eyes widened visibly now. It was the first time Kakuzu saw his leader show such emotion.

"I cannot confirm it yet, but I have no reason to assume that the guy who did this would lie about such things. Hell, with the display of power I'm even inclined to believe him."

"How so?"

"He is…" Kakuzu sought for a word, but failed to find it. "He is strange. Weird. He'd either make the perfect recruit, or our worst enemy."

"Does 'he' have a name?"

"I think the blonde girl called him 'Genkuro'. They were breaking into Orochimaru's laboratory, and by the looks of it, they did it to get Tsunade of the Sannin out there."

"What were you and Hidan doing in Orochimaru's lair?"

"I got good information," Kakuzu shrugged. "Or so I thought. Well, there was really a hideout there, so I suppose the information was right. No one could have expected the interference of that guy…"

"You were trying to get the bounty on Orochimaru's head, and your greed came back to haunt you."

"…"

"Fine, I'll send out Zetsu to spy on this 'Genkuro'," Pein decided. "If this man is able to take down two S-ranked shinobi on his own, he'll indeed be a fine addition to our organization."

"Or a huge threat. Send out one of Zetsu's clones, not Zetsu himself. That guy did something weird with his flames."

"You are awfully ambiguous today."

"Because I do not know what happened," Kakuzu growled. "He burned down Hidan, a guy who didn't even die a little from the strongest jutsu I could throw at him, and rendered him to ashes. After that, he sent the flames back to his own body. And unless my senses were completely off, he grew stronger by absorbing Hidan's chakra."

"That is… unusual," Pein admitted. Truthfully, it wasn't something he couldn't do himself either, but Kakuzu did not need to know about that. "Fine, I will warn Zetsu."

The shadowy figure flickered, and vanished, leaving Kakuzu alone. "And now I have to hunt for a new heart. How annoying that he had to take my suiton heart, when his abilities centered on fire. I really had the worst of luck… well, not as much as that religious nutcase," he chuckled darkly. "Silence… finally I am saved from his stupid prayers."

* * *

Genkuro was calmly meditating, having muttered something about 'eradicating his last mirrors'. Temari didn't know, and had a feeling that she didn't want to know either, considering the cold determination that radiated from him. So, she just sat down, looking over Tayuya who now seemed to be calmly sleeping. No longer was the girl thrashing around; it seemed like the combined efforts of Tsunade, Shizune, and Genkuro were paying off. In his vicinity temperature was no issue either, so they had taken her out of the tent, so she could get some fresh air.

Still, it took so long. That was why she was polishing and sharpening her new weapon. With her nodachi destroyed by Kakuzu, Temari had picked up the weapon left behind by his partner, Hidan. This scythe itself was rather unusual, but the alloy also had properties which made it strangely easy to transfer chakra through it. She had no clue why Hidan would use such a weapon, considering how he didn't… "Wait, that weird thing when his injuries also appeared on Genkuro, was that ninjutsu?" she scratched her chin. "I don't understand what that guy did. Ah well, at least the scythe is good for channeling my fuiton ju-"

With a loud gasp, Tayuya suddenly veered up, as if someone had detonated a bomb next to her. Pale as a ghost, the red-haired girl wildly looked around her, eyes wide with unrepressed fear until Genkuro reached out to her. His touch made her aware of her surroundings.

"G-Genkuro?"

The white-clad young man smiled widely and embraced the shell-shocked Tayuya. "Welcome back." Throwing her scythe aside, Temari quickly joined.

"W-what the… what's going on? What are you two doing? Where are we?"

"You've been out cold for a while," Temari explained, feeling strangely exhausted now that the long wait was finally over.

"How long?"

"Too long," Shion cut in. "But now that the peasant-girl is awake, can we finally focus on the mission again?"

"Great… I just wake up and that spoiled little shit is trash talking again," Tayuya growled. She was too confused to remain patient. That weird dream, or whatever it had been, had ended with her hitting the ground. Every fiber in her body still screamed out in pain and fear. "Why don't you fuck off, and get back to that butler-dude?"

With a pained grimace, Shion indeed stomped away. Temari looked a little downcast, confusing Tayuya. "He died."

"Eh?"

"Taruho. He died," Genkuro clarified. "Kabuto killed him."

"K-Kabuto?"

"No need to get startled," Genkuro laughed carefree, although he did not feel as warm and comforting as he did before. "The spectacles guy is dead. As is his master."

"Master… No… No, you're not trying to tell me that-"

"Orochimaru, nukenin of Konohagakure no Sato, one of the Legendary Three, has perished," Genkuro nodded, formulating it as clearly as he could possibly say it. "Well, not completely, but I'll send him to the afterlife soon enough. The retard actually tried to take over my body," the blond chuckled.

"Yeah, Genkuro did it," Temari confirmed when the redhead looked at her in complete and utter disbelief. "We even broke Tsunade of Sannin out of his hideout, if you don't believe us, and got her to heal you."

"I… I am free?" Tayuya blinked. "Am I truly free?" she shivered, and looked back at Genkuro, before pressing her head against his chest, hugging him tightly. "Thank you," she repeated over and over again, tears running down her cheeks.

"With that knucklehead nearby, I don't think anyone could have laid a hand on you anyway," a new voice sounded. "Even that Akatsuki guy backed off." A blonde woman, seemingly in the prime of her life, approached. She wore a battered grass-green haori, and held one arm nearly limply next to her impressive bust. While slender and beautiful, something about the woman just seemed off. Perhaps because she was too tired, but exhaustion was not all which Tayuya saw on her. She saw regret, sorrow, and hidden pain. Her movements were graceful like that of a kunoichi, and if she did not radiate such a hesitation, Tayuya would not have doubted that this was truly the famous Senju Tsunade.

But she was.

Orochimaru had taught his personal guard detail well enough on those who could pose a threat to his life. Jiraiya of the Sannin had been one of those people – one on the top of the list – but this woman had the dubious honor of being on that same list. Physical strength, extreme healing abilities, stubborn, an odd fear of blood, those were the aspects which Tayuya remembered. There was something about her past too, a weakness which could be exploited to subjugate her easily, but Tayuya couldn't recall.

All she could really think of right now was the confusing dream of the endless fall. Every move she made reminded her of it. "Hey, get your hands-"

"She's a medic," Temari tried to calm her. "She's just looking to see whether you are really okay now."

"Yeah, since that knucklehead can't keep his chakras apart, I can't let him mess around with you after you just wake up," Tsunade grumbled. "Fixing the damage was difficult enough as it is already."

"…?"

"There seems to be a difference between regular chakra and senjutsu chakra," Genkuro sighed, somewhat annoyed by Tsunade's jab, but far more burdened by the guilt of his own mistakes. "Human bodies are not built to withstand natural energies, unless they can balance it properly with physical and spiritual energy of your own. To me, that doesn't matter, but to you… I made a mistake by letting you use my power."

"…I lived, didn't I?"

"Barely," Tsunade grunted.

"Yeah, but still. If not for Genkuro, that bug-bastard would've smoked me," Tayuya smiled weakly. "He saved my ass, so don't you fucking dare talk down on him."

"Do you have any idea how difficult it was to undo all the damage?"

"I don't, Bimbo senior, but I prefer this to being eaten by bugs," Tayuya smirked when she saw a vein pop on Tsunade's forehead. Apparently, the Senju did not like the addition 'senior' too much, but Tayuya knew that the woman was just as old as Orochimaru and Jiraiya were.

"Without modification, your coils won't be able to sustain my chakra," Genkuro frowned. "Perhaps… Konoha seems to have set its sights on us anyway. Perhaps I should try to teach you how to use my power. Through the sliver of my soul, you should be able to summon it again."

"With it, I could easily beat a jonin level opponent," Tayuya agreed. "Though, I'd rather not die due to some kind of weird chakra poisoning."

"Petrification, to be exact," Tsunade corrected her. "And while you're still recovering, I won't allow you to screw up her coils," she glared at Genkuro. "No matter who or what you are, I'm not going to let my patients get killed."

"Wait, how come we never had that when Genkuro gave us energy before?"

"I don't care what energy I absorb, it all becomes warmth," Genkuro shrugged. "Handing out that warmth is easy. But what you did was not simply absorbing _my_ energy. Rather, you were using my abilities and thereby absorbing natural energy directly. And considering how you are not like me, your body was incapable of sustaining it."

"Well, that sucks," Tayuya sighed. "So how am I supposed to get past that?"

"Didn't you listen?" Tsunade hissed. "No stupid experiments while you are my patient. And that is final. We didn't spend all that time on healing you, just for you to try to kill yourself again!"

"Don't worry about getting stronger right now, we first have to deal with another headache," Jiraiya revealed his presence. While Honen was guarding Shion, as well as the sleeping Shizune and Tonton, Jiraiya had been watching over the group before Tayuya even woke up. "That priestess, Shion, warned us that someone is trying to set free some kind of demon called Moryo. We've got to prevent that, before we can go to Konoha," the legendary pervert explained to his eternally unrequited crush. "Oh, and welcome back girly. Glad you've finally decided to wake up. Those two were worried sick," he pointed at Genkuro and Temari.

* * *

"Hot damn…"

"Another break?"

"Stop smirking, dammit," Karin groaned. "I know I'm not skilled enough to be out in the field."

"That's why Orochimaru-sama assigned me to protect you," Guren nodded. "Although I haven't been of much use, sadly."

"Between those two Akatsuki members and the flame-eyed freak, I'd say that is nothing to be ashamed about. Hell, we survived!"

The sight of the young man with the flaming eyes beating the infamous Kakuzu with one mighty hit against the chest was still something Guren had trouble believing. Of course, she didn't know that one shattered heart was not going to kill the man. But she had seen Kakuzu in battle, and knew how strong the man was. He was strong enough to even make her wonder if Orochimaru himself would have been able to defeat him. In addition, she had no illusions about him, realizing that Kakuzu had not been pushed enough to reveal his trump cards- and yet Genkuro had seemingly killed him in one shot.

"Monsters…"

"Yeah," Karin sighed. She looked around. They had run as fast as they could, away from the chaos, creating distance between them and the lair where the battle between immortals had unfolded. Now they were well on their way towards the hideout near Kusagakure. "What do you think we should do? If that guy told the truth about-"

"Orochimaru-sama and Kabuto are dead," Guren grimaced. "He wasn't the type of guy who would utter empty boasts. And with that display of power, I think he could have really done it too."

"But how? Orochimaru-sama made so many precautions."

"Danzo," Guren said bitterly. "The Godaime Hokage ordered Orochimaru-sama to intercept someone. Two traitors and a priestess from Oni no Kuni, if I remember it right. That blonde girl who was travelling with the fire-eye must've been one of those two traitors. At least, she didn't look like a priestess to me."

"Orochimaru-sama did act strangely after each time Danzo gave orders. I still don't understand why he had to listen to that old goat," Karin grumbled. "Do you think that Fire-eye worked for Danzo?"

"I've got no idea," Guren admitted. "It seems unlikely to me, I didn't see any insignia, unless he was black-ops, but that didn't correspond with his behavioral patterns at all. Still, I think going to Konoha is out of the question," she knew what Karin wanted to ask. "We might know about Danzo's secret dealings with Orochimaru-sama, but even Orochimaru-sama didn't trust the old warmonger. So I doubt we could just waltz into Konoha and ask for refuge."

"Then, where are we supposed to go? Orochimaru-sama died, Kabuto died, Kimimaro died, and the Sound Four is gone as well. You're practically the only true jonin-level shinobi left in Otogakure."

"True, and even I… am not even nearly strong enough to stop a truly strong opponent," Guren scowled. Karin couldn't help but sigh. Her companion had taken quite a severe blow to her pride. The strength, her rare kekkei genkai, which she had been so arrogant about, had meant nothing to the likes of Hidan, Kakuzu, and especially not the fiery-eyed Genkuro. "Without… without Orochimaru-sama," Guren hesitated, "What purpose do we have? What purpose do I have?"

"Tsk, are you so accustomed to receiving orders that you don't have a brain of your own anymore?" Karin had a different opinion. Sure, she had been loyal to Orochimaru, the only one who ever looked after her, but she was also one of his chief scientists. She had much more autonomy, in a sense, than Guren. Sure, Guren was in charge over numerous shinobi, one of Orochimaru's captains, yet still she was completely reliant on her master to set out the direction in which she had to go. She was independent in the sense that she had to figure out how to get to a certain point on her own, but the point itself was something Orochimaru ordered her to accomplish. "Good, let's analyze our options. We can go to any hidden village, and most likely be captured and killed, or otherwise used for our blood. You'd be a mother to a new generation of Shoton users, while I… well, they'll figure out that I'm an Uzumaki soon enough, and it won't be long until they'd want to capture one of the loose bijuu through me."

"Orochimaru-sama wished to seal the Kyuubi within you," Guren frowned.

"Yeah, but he still promised me to let me keep my own personality. Orochimaru-sama valued my other abilities and my intellect too. Other villages would only see me as a tool, a weapon, or a bomb, for them to use at their own discretion. I don't want to be used as a damn object! Orochimaru saved me from that fate!"

"So Konohagakure nor any of the other villages are an option, then what?"

"We could see out that Flame-eye again, and ask him if we could join him."

"T-the murderer of Orochimaru-sama? How could you-"

"Guren, that guy wasn't evil. He didn't feel evil at all. Just… primitive? And he has so much power that we'd be safe from all the other nations as well! I mean, I've sensed the power of kages, and they pale next to the depths of his potential power." Guren frowned at the remark, something which Karin noticed. "He doesn't seem to know how to utilize his full power. Or perhaps it was somehow blocked. All I can say was that there was another chakra signature within him, one really foreign. I'd almost say that it would be a bijuu, if not for the complete lack of evil," Karin pushed her glasses up. "It suffices to say that he will grow even further. I'm not sure who or what he is, but he's going to be a player in the international balance of powers. Someone that strong inevitably will be. All I'm suggesting is that we could approach him, and pick his side before others realize what he will grow out to be."

"Picking sides," Guren grunted. "You really think he's going to be that strong?"

"He brought down half the mountain, and didn't even seem to break a sweat at it!" Karin exclaimed. "I told you, that guy is a monster!"

"But he sees us as enemies," Guren countered. "He'd kill us on sight. Dammit, he _toyed_ with me!"

"I told you: he isn't necessarily evil. Though, obviously, we would have to approach him carefully. The only other real options we really have are either to take charge of Otogakure, with you succeeding Orochimaru-sama as the leader, or the two of us going to wander around in hope that we find somewhere safe where we could settle."

"Leading Otogakure? Me?" Guren blinked. '_I… I probably would have agreed to that before. But after that battle… I may be strong, but I'm not as strong as I thought I was. An S-ranked shinobi could easily beat me. So how could I lead Oto? It would take someone with the skill, knowledge, and contacts that Orochimaru-sama had. Not someone like me. I'm… Dammit, I'm too weak!'_

"Yep, if anyone can do it, it is you," Karin stated, ignoring Guren's doubtful glare. "You're the only one who has the strength to pull it off."

"Perhaps… but only because the rest of Oto is too weak. But with Orochimaru-sama's death, it will be inevitable that the other nations set their sights on us. I am not as strong as I thought, so I-"

"Don't compare yourself to those monsters," Karin protested.

"That isn't the point. If for instance Kumogakure would decide to invade Oto, I'd be unable to stop them. I mean, there aren't many capable fighters left. Who should be at my side to battle their jonin? Jugo? He'd just as likely try to kill me. And that water-brat from Kirigakure is also more talk than actual skill. No, I'd rather grab Yukimaro and disappear. What use would there be in continuing the future struggle to defend Otogakure now that Orochimaru-sama has died?"

"If that's what you've decided, I'm tagging along," Karin smiled.

"Why?"

"You've defended me even when you didn't need to. You could just have abandoned me and saved yourself, but you didn't. Besides, you can't hide your chakra from me, so I know darn well that you're kinder than you let on. So, let's get Yukimaru!"

'_She… she trusts me? Why would she?'_ Guren blinked as Karin jumped away. Catching up with her was easy enough, but the Uzumaki's words had felt odd: liberating, almost. They had made a choice. Her own choice. Not an order, but an actual choice. Perhaps now she could find a way to atone for what she did to Yukimaru, for the death of his mother…

* * *

"Dammit, I can't even… Fucking shitty legs," Tayuya cursed and snarled a string of profanities, of which half couldn't even be written down, after her legs failed to carry her towards the nearby stream.

"Let me help you."

"Ugh, I can wash myself, thank you very much."

"Don't be so stubborn…"

"You just want to grope my tits," Tayuya chuckled, teasing the now blushing Temari. "Admit it!"

"I won't," the blonde denied. "I just want to help you get- HEY!"

"Yup, mine are still bigger," the redhead grinned. "You're growing now that you eat properly, but I still beat you at that."

"You can't just grope me like that, what are you… And it isn't even a competition!"

"Neh, I admit defeat when it comes to legs. Those long legs of yours are really to kill for. Make my short, stubby legs look ugly."

"You're not ugly, how could you- Dammit!" Temari exclaimed. "I walked right into that, didn't I?"

"You sure did. I love you too," Tayuya smiled. "You're beautiful too," she made the blonde blush a color which matched Tayuya's hair.

"…you're nuts. I'll take you to the waterside and wash you up. Obviously you can't do that by yourself just yet."

"Oh, Bimbo, how bold of you," Tayuya teased. "I wasn't thinking you'd undress me that quickly."

"You'd rather have Genkuro do it?" Temari smirked somewhat victoriously when Tayuya began to blush as well. "Right, so shut up and cooperate."

Although, before they reached the stream, they heard someone yelp out in agony. After that, Tayuya began to laugh. "It's Genkuro. He caught the old pervert."

"That man will never learn, will he?"

"It's a first that Genkuro interferes, though. Did you finally manage to get a sense of decency through his thick, fiery skull? He did feel different…"

"Genkuro took a hard hit when he figured out that he was too late to save the girl he had dreamt of," Temari grimaced. "You remember that he went berserk after having a strange dream?"

"I could hardly forget how he tore that forest apart," the deadpan expression said enough. "I might have been out cold for a while, but I didn't get retarded, ya know."

"Genkuro… Orochimaru had some kind of jutsu that allowed him to take over another's body. The girl of whom Genkuro had dreamed was Orochimaru's last body."

"Fuck… So that was why it felt like something was going horribly wrong," the red-haired girl squeezed her eyes shut. "I felt his pain. His sorrow. I didn't know what happened back then, but if that was the case… the old snake didn't get an easy death."

"I wasn't there to see the battle, but from what Jiraiya told me, and from what I saw, it was obvious that Genkuro tore Orochimaru to shreds. After that, the idiot attempted to take over Genkuro's body. And failed miserably. Genkuro said that he was destroying all of Orochimaru's memories, so that the man would enter the afterlife after losing all the knowledge he worked so hard for."

"That is… I'm not sure whether to call it ironic, cruel, or the most awesome solution Genkuro could've come up with!"

"And there is more. Genkuro found out who he was. He somehow met the girl, Hinata, in Orochimaru's mind, and released her. But she told him who he was: Uzumaki Naruto, the boy who died by my little brother's hands," Temari confessed. "He even forgave me for my past actions, saying that even though he knew his former name, he still didn't feel like he actually was 'Naruto'. He doesn't remember it yet, but told us that he preferred it if we kept calling him 'Genkuro', as that was his current identity."

"So that batshit insane theory was actually true? Fucking hell… no wonder he isn't as cheerful as usual."

"He was really cold after the battle. Sad. If you had been there, you would have known how to deal with it. I didn't even know how to cheer him up; even after all this time, I still didn't know how to do such a thing for him."

'_Hot? Anger? Cold? It almost sounds like that dream thing. Wait… I didn't enter his mind or something, right? But if that were the case, then what was that 'distant source of comfort' thing? Or did she… no, she didn't. We had an agreement. No way she would've…'_ Tayuya frowned. "So, how did you comfort him?"

The blonde heard the slight undercurrent of suspicion, and had to do everything her willpower allowed her to stop herself from wincing. Truth or lies, what option did she have? Hurting Tayuya was the last thing Temari wanted to do, especially in her current condition. Temari knew her well enough to understand how deeply the girl cared about Genkuro, even though she was oddly tolerant towards Temari. She was tolerant to the point that she made Temari a bit uncomfortable with how she acted at times. But Tayuya was someone almost completely foreign to aspects such as 'love', 'caring', or 'trust'.

Hell, she was bought and raised as a perfect soldier, a bodyguard of one of the world's strongest shinobi. She was never taught to have emotions, on the contrary in fact, Orochimaru had kept his minions on a short leash by using his cursed seals. This fragile trust the girl had, this elation of living freely, uncontrolled, was something Tayuya never spoke of. She never admitted, at least; she was far too proud and stubborn for that. But Temari could see it clearly in how the girl would cling to her and Genkuro. They were the first true bonds Tayuya had experienced, bonds based on friendship rather than forced loyalty. Even her own family had forsaken her.

'_How could I tell her that I betrayed her trust?'_ Temari knew that her own mental state was barely any better. In some ways, the two were so similar… used as a tool and thrown away when it was convenient, Temari's own trust in humanity had been shattered too. She had wished to die, had welcomed her wounds with happiness at the thought she could leave this horrid plane of existence- then Genkuro had showed up, and turned her life upside down. '_And I think it is strange that Tayuya practically worships him? Hell, she had her very soul liberated by him, and is connected to him in a way I'd never comprehend.'_

How could Temari tell her closest friend, her _only_ friend next to Genkuro, that she had betrayed her? She had broken the agreement of not taking the initiative with Genkuro in any romantic way, until he would fully realize what it entailed.

'_And out of my desperation, out of my fear of losing him, of being all alone again, I did something I could never ask Tayuya to forgive,'_ Temari grimaced. '_Why didn't I resist my own feelings? Father was right when he said that a shinobi should always be in control of his or her emotions…'_

"Wow, that's a face I didn't expect to see. I only asked how you slapped his senses back in order, not if you're having your period or something…"

"Seeing him in such pain was not… I came to realize how much I depended on him. How his warmth made me feel safe, how it made me forget about… well, you know. The past," Temari decided to distract Tayuya. It wasn't like she was lying, it was just that she didn't give the full truth. '_Not yet. I'm going to find a way to tell her without hurting her.'_

"Heh, yeah he's practically the only source of light and warmth in our fucked-up world, isn't he? Sounds kinda pathetic, if you say it like that."

"He was always so cheerful, so innocently happy, that it… Well, I've seen him get angry a few times now, but that was only temporarily. Not something like this. I wished I could've protected him, just like he protected me."

She saw that Temari was hurt, so Tayuya kept silent. She wasn't _completely_ tactless, unlike people such as Honen and Shion would like to claim. But she wasn't dumb either. Temari had purposely avoided talking about 'how' she had dragged Genkuro out of his depression, even when she did not deny that such a thing had happened. '_Fuck… Am I really still that paranoid? I should trust the Bimbo a little more. She's probably just hurt, that's why she didn't say. I should stop that stupid habit of expecting the worst, Temari isn't like everyone else. She and Genkuro treated me better than anyone, so how could I be such a moron that I mistrust them?'_

"Well, you wanted me out of my clothes, so do your best," Tayuya grunted. They had moved without speaking, but arrived at the waterside. Temari felt horrible for not being able to say the full truth, so never noticed.

"Please, don't talk like that," Temari mumbled.

"Geez, don't act so uptight!"

"It's inappropriate."

"Says who? Your village? I could tell those fucktards a thing or two about what inappropriate is. Sacrificing young women for a shoddy peace is goddamn inappropriate. Selling a daughter is inappropriate. But what the fuck is wrong about two people liking each other?" Tayuya smirked. "What's wrong with a girl liking a girl? Our world discourages it, just because our militaristic society needs us to breed the army of the next generation. But what the hell does it matter to us now? We're not part of any village! We're not some kind of fuckable wombs that need to do their duty! All that really matters is right now is if we're happy or not, the rest of the world be damned!"

"Yes, but-"

"Or do you think I'm ugly?" the redhead pouted.

"N-no!"

"Then what are you waiting for?" Tayuya unbuttoned her white shirt.

"Perhaps I made a mistake by telling Genkuro that I'd help you on my own," Temari muttered.

"Oh-hoho, so you want to skip right to a threesome? I knew it! The silent ones always have the dirtiest minds! I love it!"

* * *

Jiraiya pouted, being dragged back to the camp. He heard the girls' indignant screams and laughter rise up, and wished that he could…

"That's enough," Genkuro's fist tightened around the leg by which he held the infamous Ero-sennin. "Keep thinking like that and I'm handing you over to Tsunade's mercy."

"You're cruel," the older man whined. "You used to be such a cute and innocent good lad."

"Don't blame Orochimaru's memories on this. I can feel your perversion from a mile away."

"Why doesn't anyone appreciate the fine art of spying on nude women?"

"Spy on your own woman, not on others," Genkuro grunted.

"Oh? So you're protecting Temari and Tayuya because they're yours? You finally admit it?" Jiraiya asked hopefully. "I always dreamed of my godson being a pervert too."

"You're actually crying tears of joy now? You really are a freaking super pervert. And I'm not… Ugh, what does it matter, I was your godson whether I remember it or not."

* * *

"She's still as cheerful as always, isn't she?"

"Yes," Honen frowned, his pale grey eyes looking at Jiraiya. While they were polar opposites in terms of behavior, Honen definitely respected the older man- more than the girls did, at least. "She refused to talk about it, but Taruho's death hit her hard. I think she feels guilty for all those who died for her sake."

"Well, it was either that or not being able to prevent the resurrection of that demon," Jiraiya sighed. Tsunade sped up to the she came to run next to the two. "Honen informed you and Shizune about our little mission?"

"Yes, and about the origins of the priestess. I don't see why she needs to be carried, though."

"She wasn't trained, so she moves at the speed of an ordinary civilian. Though it is funny how much she hesitated to be carried by Temari," Jiraiya chuckled.

"I suppose she's even angrier at Tayuya, for taking Genkuro's back," Honen agreed. "Although it is obvious that Tayuya cannot move at these speeds yet."

While they took breaks at regular intervals in order to replenish their energy, where Genkuro functioned as a battery charger, Tsunade had forbidden Tayuya from exerting herself that heavily. Shion making a snide remark about how Tayuya had become 'a little spoiled princess who doesn't know how to walk' had not made things any better. Luckily, Genkuro had stepped in before things could escalate. With him carrying Tayuya, it meant that Shion would have to find another vehicle. Considering how she did not trust Jiraiya, and Shizune and Tsunade were too weak for additional luggage, the duty had fallen to Honen and Temari, who took turns.

It was now four days since Tayuya had woken up, and the second day since they had resumed their journey again. And apart from a few moments – cleaning herself, relieving herself, and such – Tayuya had barely moved an inch from Genkuro. Tsunade had realized that the one who was hit the hardest by the addictive qualities of Genkuro's energy was Tayuya. Whether she would admit it or not, she indulged herself in that pleasure. It was probably the only reason why she had agreed to be carried piggyback-style like that, rather than stubbornly insisting on running with her own two legs.

And Temari could hardly tell the girl to keep her distance, considering the dreadful secret she kept within herself. So, a little jealous or not, Temari had agreed with these circumstances. Her behavior did not go unnoticed by Tsunade and Shizune, who immediately picked up on the strange, sort of friendly, rivalry between the two girls who both had a crush on the same young man.

"You sure you don't want me to carry you too, hime?" Jiraiya asked, just a little bit too hopeful to be called subtle. Though, no subtlety in the world would have fooled his long-time teammate.

"How big of a fool do you think I am you damn pervert?"

"One of these days you will fall madly in love with me," he joked.

"Yeah, right," Tsunade snorted, barely able to keep herself from laughing. "Don't wait on it."

Honen slowed is pace a little, joining Shizune who followed the group. "Are those two always like that?"

"Probably," Shizune smiled. "Tsunade-sama hasn't acted like this in a long time."

"What do you mean?"

"She lost hope. She didn't show that much emotion at all, except when being drunk. Seeing her smile and fool around… well, traumatic experiences do tend to change people," the young woman lost her smile, thinking back to their time of imprisonment. Tsunade had experienced a lot more suffering, being experimented on, and having her arm surgically removed and all. Still, Shizune had taken another look at life. Regaining her freedom from those deep pits of despair had been nothing short of a miracle to her. "I think Genkuro changed her."

"He is… peculiar," Honen agreed, after searching for the right word to describe him. "It is like he instills loyalty and friendship upon all those he touches. It's as if he cleanses the world of darkness, using nothing but his flames. When the temple found him, he insisted that he was no deity, but at times I come to doubt that. It makes me wonder if he himself realizes the full extent of his power."

"I saw him fight. I don't think I have ever seen such overwhelming physical prowess, and I have lived half my life near Tsunade-sama…"

"And it is his flames which are the true miracle."

* * *

"Is everything in place?"

"Yes, Yomi-sama," Kusuna bowed

"Who are her guards?" Setsuna wondered. "Yomi-sama, there are three males and four women guarding her now."

"Who cares?" Kusuna scoffed. The pink haired male didn't care who would be in their way: they'd all perish. "We fight for Moryo-sama. None will stand in our way."

"Take your positions," Yomi cut the commencing discussion off. "Attack after they entered the gorge. Between the mountainside and the river, they will have no way to avoid the explosions. The one closest will grab the priestess, and the others will buy time."

"Yes, Yomi-sama."

"They won't know what hit them!" Gitai laughed. "Those pathetic fools!"

* * *

_Author's notes_:

* * *

But who are the fools who don't know who they're messing with? More interesting is Temari's little balancing act… torn between her emotions for Genkuro and her desire to protect her friend, do you think Temari made the right decision? And the whole thing grew even worse considering how Tayuya decided to trust her, in spite of the doubts she had from her comatose situation. Will Tayuya ever forgive her deceit? Or will it remain a secret?

Aside from that, there are the little bits about Genkuro's personality which I dropped, I hope you enjoyed those. Is he a protagonist or antagonist? It sure was a challenge to write this chapter. So hope you like it, so please leave a **review** after reading! I thank **Illuminated**, my beta, for improving this chapter. (Happy birthday to Illuminated jr!) And I thank **ensou**, and Jake, for all their advice.

'till next time.

* * *

-Z-


	17. Falling from the edge

**Pareidolia**

* * *

**Chapter sixteen**

**Falling from the edge**

* * *

"_Betrayal is an ironic thing. He or she betrays you, then you betray yourself. You think you're showing strength with your anger, but in reality, you're showing how much you still care."_

― Shannon L. Alder

* * *

"_Take your positions," Yomi cut the commencing discussion off. "Attack after they have entered the gorge. Between the mountainside and the river, they will have no way to avoid the explosions. The one closest will grab the priestess, and the others will buy time."_

"_Yes, Yomi-sama."_

"_They won't know what hit them!" Gitai laughed. "Those pathetic fools!"_

As Yomi returned to the shrine, the 'gang of four', or Yonin-shu, took their assigned positions. Kusuna empowered the other three through the use of his special jutsu, the Kyoka Shoho: Chakura Chunyu. This jutsu created dark, snake-like tentacles which forcibly connected with the other three, and injected them with medically-altered chakra: more than enough to destroy the priestess and her pathetic guard, but considering that, Yomi suspected that Shion could've hired shinobi from abroad…

'_It would still be overkill,_' Kusuna smirked while watching the others taking their positions. They had absolutely no idea of who they were about to fight.

* * *

"Why are we holding still?" Tsunade grumbled. "Oy, brat, get a move on already!"

Ignoring the annoyed Senju, Genkuro instead turned to Temari, after letting Tayuya slip from his back. "Take the others and fall back."

"Enemies?"

"Yes," Genkuro nodded. "I can see two of them at the end of the gorge. They're weak, but it would be annoying to just judge them based on the quantity of their warmth. Besides, they are strangely twisted. Unstable."

"We can't wait any longer," Shion huffed. "We are getting close to the shrine. We should keep moving."

"And walk into a trap?" Jiraiya frowned. "No, that would be stupid. They're quite adept, though, considering how well they hide their chakra. I can barely notice them, and that is only after the brat pointed them out for me."

"You take the old lady-"

"HEY!" the irked Senju protested.

"-and Shizune, and make sure they're safe. You're the rear guard. And Honen, you keep an eye on the priestess."

"What are you going to do?" Tayuya asked, clutching his arm and preventing him from leaving before she got her answer.

"If those two want a fight, they can get one," he patted her on her head, a gesture which she didn't like at all. How he emphasized the height difference between them had always irked her. Still, if it was Genkuro, she could let it slip. She never managed to stay mad at him anyway. Although, she had this creeping suspicion that he knew this very well, through their 'mental link', and exploited it without any remorse. He didn't seem to understand why she did it, but he was aware that she felt differently about him, she was convinced of that.

'_Not that I can change anything about it,_' she scowled a bit. She couldn't change how she felt, nor could she change the fact that his mind was still developing. "You'd better not die."

"I've done that once, and apparently it was not a healthy move," Genkuro donned a carefree smile, although his chilly aura gave off another message. Tayuya knew very well how much his 'rebirth' had hurt him. "Don't worry about me, Tayuya-chan."

"Chan?" she mumbled, although he never heard her. He had already jumped off, with so much force to his feet that his footprints were left in the rocky grounds.

"Let's do as he said," Temari moved close to the red-haired girl. "It's probably going to be over in a second, but I'm not really inclined to take any risk, not while you are still weakened."

"You could just put that ugly-ass scythe up their rectums if they attack us, right?"

"Language, Tayuya, language," Temari sighed wearily. "When will you ever learn to behave decently?"

* * *

Pink-haired, with pink eyes and black pupils. It appeared to be an unusual combination, at least to Genkuro. But this young man was standing behind two others. There were three, not two. Odd.

One was an arrogant-looking man with white skin, and similarly-colored shoulder-length hair. The other was a woman, with orange, shoulder-length hair. Genkuro rather liked the hair color, and somewhat absentmindedly wondered if this was due to his former life as Uzumaki Naruto. All three wore white attire with a hexagram symbol of their own, looking almost as if they were some sort of priests. However, Genkuro saw their wild and violently fluctuating energies all too well. Those did not belong to a priest's. The monks of the Fire Temple were all, with exception of some of those who were still in training, calm and controlled.

They did not possess even nearly enough warmth to pose a real threat. And as such, Genkuro was a bit bored. Perceiving his expression sparked two of them to do something very stupid. The one with the pink hair, called Kusuna by the white-skinned guy, launched some kind of wind-based attack. In itself, it wasn't even that bad a try. No, it was the pale guy, Gitai, who screwed up by transforming the attack into some sort of tornado of flames, after casting a jutsu called Katon: Hibashiri.

'_Ah well, it is free food, so I suppose I can't really complain,'_ Genkuro thought by himself, while he absorbed the last remnants of the flames which had turned on his attackers. Part of their warmth left a proverbial, bad taste in his mouth. Whatever they used to twist and increase their warmth, Genkuro couldn't absorb it. So he discarded it. It left him curious, though, as this was the first time he ever encountered a source of energy which was beyond his capacity to absorb. What could it be from?

Meanwhile, the girl, Shizuku, looked at him with expressions ranging from confusion, disbelief, fear, and finally to anger. Two of her gang had just been burnt down to ashes, consumed by the very flames Gitai had cast.

Genkuro looked down on the girl, as she was over seven inches shorter than he was, with the same bored expression that he wore before he had slaughtered Gitai and Kusuna. The fiery orbs which were his eyes obviously rattled the girl, an effect which Genkuro had seen before. The ones who showed it this obviously all shared one common trait: they were weak. A properly-trained shinobi would control his or her emotions a lot better during a fight, a fact which he did not fail to point out to her.

"You've seen past Setsuna, haven't ya?" she bit back. "And you're not the only one who looks scary!"

It was a claim which he would like to refute. Sure, her eyes became purple, her pupils larger, and the three blue markings on her face were unusual too. But other than that, the only thing Genkuro noticed about her was that her hair became messy and a little bit longer. Only after she moved, did he notice that she also gained spike-like appendages, jutting out the back of each elbow.

"Meh, I've seen worse," Genkuro recalled Kimimaro. He had been a lot more menacing. In fact, she looked a bit funny with those weird arm-spikes. Perhaps a certain sword-wielding Akatsuki member would get turned on by her new appearance, but it left Genkuro indifferent. Her warmth had increased quite a bit, but he could see it burning up her body, and it was still far too little to be worth the price- so he found it rather stupid for her to throw her life away. So, he just swung his fist at her, intending to just get it over with already.

Strangely, the girl turned into water, letting his punch slide through harmlessly. "A suiton specialist?" Genkuro's interest was piqued now._ 'Water would be a good way to fight against my fire. Perhaps this fight wouldn't be as boring as I thou…'_

An explosion eradicated all his leisurely thoughts. "Seems like that bastard Setsuna finally bombed those weaklings. Good riddance," Shizuku laughed, making the mistake of angering Genkuro.

Genkuro was angered even more, because he knew that Temari and Tayuya had taken the lead when the rest of his group had retreated. The explosion hit them first, and the avalanche of rocks and boulders which battered down the cliffside that followed after it. He saw Jiraiya fight off the hidden fourth member of these enemies, and Tsunade and the others stand back. But he couldn't see Temari or Tayuya anywhere…

"Suiton: Suiryuben!" not understanding the perilous situation she was in, Shizuku created an orb of water from which many sharp whips emerged. The watery tentacles lashed out at Genkuro, aiming to entangle and impale, aiming to shred him apart, as if Genkuro cared about such petty wounds. His black eyes came forth: purely black eyes, with fiery slits where the pupils should have been, but otherwise entirely black, from the iris to the normally white sclera - which was absent in Genkuro's case anyway. These horrible black eyes were the last things Shizuku saw, before Moryo lost another one of his loyal followers.

* * *

'_Why did I become this weak?'_ the woman wondered. She felt disgusted with herself. _"Fear. Above all other things, I sense only fear in you. You are a coward, running away from your own past, running away from yourself,_" was what Genkuro had told her, only a few days ago. And now watching Jiraiya fighting against their blue-haired assailant, the Senju felt herself freeze up again. The explosion, the chaos which the avalanche caused resulted in the disappearance of Tayuya and Temari, who seemed to have fallen down the cliffside into the river below.

All that permeated her thoughts were the memories of Dan and Nawaki, of her experience while being Orochimaru's experimental subject, the blood, pain, and suffering. The guilt and sorrow paralyzed her. Blood… she couldn't stand the sight of it. It made her stomach contract, her heart beat at an uncontrollable rate, and her breath… '_Hyperventilation,_' the logical part of her mind concluded.

She hated her own weakness. By will alone, she kept on her two feet, refusing to fall to her knees yet again. Out of pure stubbornness, she kept herself from crying. But she still couldn't do a thing for her old teammate. He didn't really need help, as he had immediately got the upper hand, and only prolonged the fight in order to get more information out of the overconfident fool, but still…

"…de…ma…"

She was a Senju. Her grandfather, her uncle, they'd be ashamed if they came to learn that the last of their clan had become such a coward.

"…ime…isten…wake…"

She was one of the famous three, the Sannin of Konohagakure, and yet she had such a weakness. Her mind made her unfit for her profession. She was a healer, a warrior. How could she be this fragile? But all she saw was Nawaki, drowning in blood; Dan, desperately struggling to stay alive, fearing his death even to his last breath. Why couldn't she…

Light.

It blinded Tsunade. It was not actual light, but something else. Something massive. For a faint moment, she felt as if she looked into a bottomless abyss, a gorge filled with pain, confusion, fear, hope…. and _hunger_. It was such a ravenous feeling, that it frightened her. The power it radiated was immeasurable, reminding her of the feeling she always had as a child, when her grandfather stopped by. Especially one time, when someone had attempted to assassinate her, the only time Tsunade had seen her grandfather livid. But, as powerful as Hashirama had been, this otherworldly feeling was incomparable.

Only when she tried to back off, away from this horrid power, she noticed someone held her in an iron grip.

"Oy, Hime, wake up already!" her perverted teammate's voice sounded from somewhere left of her. The terrifying feeling subsided as the hands let her go. '_Genkuro. Of course it was him. The Uzumaki boy reincarnate. Or the Kyuubi reincarnate. Or both?'_

"B-brat? What happened to make you look that wounded?"

"Water blades," Genkuro grunted. Several of Shizuku's blades had gotten through Genkuro's defenses, tearing at his flesh; he hadn't really bothered to dodge any of the attacks. She didn't really put up a fight against him anyway, and the overconfident and impetuous girl didn't last long in the face of his anger. "It'll heal in a few moments. You're conscious again?"

"Yes…What did you do to me?" Tsunade wondered what that image of endless power was. That abyss, the bottomless hunger.

"Kid, where are you going?" Jiraiya halted him when he walked towards the edge of the path. "We need to look for-"

"They fell," Genkuro cut him off. "I'll jump after them, and make sure they're safe. You guys should fall back until we regroup."

The two last surviving members of the Sannin couldn't utter a word before Genkuro jumped down. They saw him fall for several meters until he plunged into the river. "Why doesn't he… oh, right," Jiraiya mumbled. "I forgot he can't use his chakra to walk on the water surface. Not that it will slow him down much. Well, let's find a spot where we can rest for the night."

* * *

Genkuro had just set out to hunt down the poor souls who thought that they could lay an ambush, when Temari turned to Tayuya, and saw her red-haired friend nod. They took lead, while the others kept the center. After all, Shion was most likely the target of whoever was stupid enough to attack them. With Jiraiya guarding the rear, keeping an eye out for any assailant who might slip past Genkuro, they thought nothing could go wrong in their organized retreat from this trap.

None of them, however had sensed Setsuna, who had taken position at the entrance of the gorge as, his ability to hide himself was the best among the four of them. Even Genkuro had not sensed him, no doubt due to the demonic influence of Moryo. As such, the group had gotten not even a single warning before the explosions hit them from the side. Temari and Tayuya, who walked in front, were hit directly. Only Temari's instinctual reaction, shielding with Hidan's tri-pronged scythe, saved the two.

Even though they evaded any serious injury, they were still hurled into the depths. With Tayuya still feeling the effects of having used Genkuro's unusual chakra, Temari was the first to realize that they were falling. Grabbing the other girl, Temari used her own body to shield Tayuya from the impact of the icy-cold water of the fast-flowing river below. At least she could generate some chakra to break her fall, unlike Tayuya. Still, after this fall, they hit the water hard. It was hard enough to force the air out of Temari, after which the river's water eagerly filled her lungs when she desperately tried to catch a breath.

The white foam from the dashing river blinded her, the cold water enveloped her, and she felt her strength being drained from her muscles as the shortage of oxygen began to cripple her. While she was wildly flailing with her limbs, Temari couldn't get herself moving in the right direction, up, towards air. She had expended too much chakra to keep herself and Tayuya safe from the explosion.

Remembering Tayuya, the blonde thrashed around in the water, trying to find her friend. But the water blinded her, and she couldn't find Tayuya anywhere. Everything just became… strenuous. A part of her mind panicked, calling out to her and urging her to put in every bit of effort she could to get some air. But she didn't. It was just too tiring to keep struggling. She was too tired to panic. She wanted to sleep, to forget about this awful feeling. The more time passed, the slower her moments became, the weaker her struggling got- until her ineffectually flapping limbs stopped moving altogether.

Then all turned dark, becoming a sweet and peaceful oblivion… until she gasped, coughing and outright puking the water out of her system. Her chest hurt like hell, her throat was sore like sandpaper, and she was too disoriented to notice where she was.

"…ie down…mmit!...imbo…ay the fuck…"

Something popped in her ears, and it felt like water was gushing out even from there. Still gasping, and trembling from exhaustion, Temari tried to move- only to find herself being pinned down. And now with her hearing unblocked, her tired mind could process the stream of profanities cast at her.

She already knew who was there when she managed to flutter open her teal eyes. "Ta…Tayuya," she rasped, her throat sore from the way the water had been forced in and out.

"Are you finally sane again?" Tayuya grumbled, unable to keep her concern hidden in spite of earlier words.

"What… where are we?"

"Somewhere down the fucking river," Tayuya retorted dryly.

"What happened to you?" the blonde noticed the scratches on Tayuya's face. The scowl that followed at the question confused her, though.

"You know how vicious a drowning person can be to her savior?"

"I-I did that?" the teal eyes widened in shock. "I'm sorry, I don't know-"

"Of course you didn't fucking know! You were drowning, you idiot!" the red-haired girl's anger seemed to flare. "Why did you do such a stupid thing?"

"W-what?"

"You shielded me twice, first from the explosion and then from the fall," Tayuya growled. "You could've ended up killing yourself, dammit!"

"…"

"Say something, dammit! You don't have the fucking right to kill yourself for me!"

"Tayuya?"

"Don't you leave me alone," with genuine concern that stabbed Temari through the heart. She had betrayed Tayuya, yet Tayuya had done nothing but trust her…

"I'm sorry," Temari repeated herself, not just for worrying her friend, but also for betraying her, for kissing Genkuro when the two of them had agreed that neither of them would try to win him over. After Genkuro's mistake, she had been stupid enough to abandon reason and give in to her desperate emotions. And yet, here was Tayuya, clutching on to her, just as lost as Temari was. The whole situation made Temari feel disgusted, by her own actions. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to do… He… Didn't plan to… It just…"

"Calm your tits, geez," Tayuya misunderstood what Temari was apologizing for. Drowning people, in their panic, tried to use everything and everyone in order to get back to the surface again. Tayuya had taken a few blows and scratches from her blonde friend, but she couldn't fathom why Temari was so apologetic about it. "It's no big deal."

"It is… to me," Temari knew she should shut up, being too tired to think straight, and yet she rambled on. After nearly drowning, she was still remembering how she had been staring into the face of death. '_And to think that I was welcoming death just a little while ago, how fundamentally has my life changed in this short time?'_

This was true not just for Temari, but for Tayuya too. Tanya saw how her friend risked herself to save her. Temari knew that Tayuya lacked the control over her chakra to properly shield herself from such an explosion, and that the fall would be troublesome as well… but Tayuya didn't want to see her friend ending up dead because of her. After all the dirty things she did as Orochimaru's henchman, staining her hands with the blood of many, she didn't think herself worthy of such a sacrifice.

Still… her suspicions grew. Something about the situation didn't make sense. Something about the words Temari said didn't add up. But what? "Sleep for a bit, you're exhausted. We should count ourselves lucky that we didn't lose our stuff. Although, in your case…"

"What?"

"That fucking scythe of yours dragged you down, dumbass. The chain attached to the weapon is useful, but in the case of being dropped into a river it is a freaking pain in the ass," Tayuya half-heartedly scolded the blonde, while wondering why she couldn't find it in herself to get angry. Why did she feel so incredibly conflicted about her friend? She couldn't pinpoint how she felt about her friend, and ever since she woke up from her comatose condition, that confusion had grown. '_I feel out of control. I'm becoming a total wreck. Worrying about her… when did I start to think about her like that?'_

The impartial eye might have noticed that Genkuro's influence over Tayuya had grown. In fact, if not for Genkuro, Tayuya would have never accepted Temari to such a degree in the first place. His anger coursed through her, due to fragment of Genkuro's soul which resided in the cursed seal, but so did his love. His happiness affected her just as much as his anger. It was just… Tayuya was familiar with rage. She had experienced an overabundance of it. Separating her own rage from Genkuro's was easy enough. But positive emotions were an entirely different matter. Happiness was something she had rarely experienced in her life, let alone that she ever loved or was loved.

* * *

They had been in luck. While looking around for materials for either a fire or a makeshift hut, Tayuya had found a cave, well, a narrow cove in the mountainside, just enough to keep them free from the cold winds drifting over the river. They got a little fire started with some driftwood, the few dry-enough pieces Tayuya could find, and were trying to rest a bit. Climbing up would be a tiresome task for Tayuya while she had her chakra control all scrambled, and Temari needed to replenish her physical energy in order to generate enough chakra in order to climb all the way up.

Once that obstacle was behind them, they would still have to find Genkuro and the others again. They had absolutely no idea how far they had drifted downstream, but both had agreed that it would be better to start their search next morning. It was already evening anyway. "Fucking crackers," Tayuya grumbled. "I hate those fucking dry pieces of shit."

"I told you to pack better food," Temari chuckled weakly, cuddled up in her sleeping bag in an attempt to get a bit warmer. "Check my scroll, there should be a few hyorogan left."

"That military ration rubbish is even worse." A deep sigh followed. "I remember Kabuto experimenting with those shitty things. Bloody mud balls… I swear that he created those things with the sole purpose of tormenting his victims even more then he already did. Medical purposes my ass," the potty-mouth spat.

Shards of mist began to block the view they had from their cove. Temari began to nod off, and Tayuya herself didn't find it much easier to stay awake either. Soon, all the girl could hear was the slow breathing of her friend and the sound of the nearby river. Everything else was swallowed by the mist. Everything, except for something crumbling.

"Wazzat?" Tayuya mumbled to herself, too drowsy to register that other sound followed. The mist intensified, and Tayuya realized that this wasn't just any normal mist. It was too thick. So she took out her flute, and silently stalked to the edge of the cove.

'_It's too damn quiet. The river made more noise just now, what the flying fuck is going on?'_ she cursed herself for not checking earlier, but to her surprise, she couldn't detect any genjutsu. "Odd," she silently mumbled, guardedly watching her surroundings. Guardedly, because she knew that in her current condition, and Temari's exhaustion, fighting would be difficult. "Can't sense any chakra either, so who the f-"

"Yo."

She must've jumped at least four feet into the air, startled by the voice which suddenly spoke up from behind her. He skillfully evaded her fist, an instinctual response from the moody kunoichi, before catching her in her fall.

Only now did she see who it was. "G-Genkuro?"

"The one and only," the blond fire-eyed young man smirked. His haori was a mess, with several large tears in the fabric, and he was still soaked. But wet as he was, he felt as warm as ever. It was an incredibly comfortable warmth for the kunoichi in his arms. "I'm glad you're okay," he hugged her gently. He was always so careful with them, and Tayuya thanked god that he was. Considering his inhuman strength, it could lead to some serious injuries if he wasn't extremely gentle. "How is Temari?"

"She nearly drowned, but otherwise she's fine."

"Drowned?" Genkuro tilted his head so that he could look at Tayuya, who was a bit shorter than him.

"You know, not being able to breathe because you're under water," Tayuya frowned. "I thought you learned this kind of shit by now."

"Orochimaru gave me no recollection of the word 'drowned', nor did you or Temari ever teach me," Genkuro shrugged it off. There was the matter of him being physically unable to drown as well, as Genkuro merely required to absorb warmth from his surroundings, which did not have to include oxygen, in order to sustain his body. Not for the first time, he was confused by the fragility of the human body.

"Y-you shouldn't… Shouldn't depend on his memories," Tayuya mumbled. "It's bad. He is wicked, so his memories must be vile too."

"Yours feel a lot better," Genkuro agreed, tightening the hug a little. Firmly pressed against his partially dressed chest, Tayuya decided to savor the moment and rest her head against him. Although the mesmerizing feeling she got was soon ruined when he put his hand on her cheek. "You're hurt," she could hear the concern in his voice.

"It was Bimbo herself. She freaked out while drowning," Tayuya blushed when he gently stroked a finger over the scratches, healing them, making her revel in his energy. Ever since she used his powers to defeat that Konoha jonin, Tayuya had felt this weird hunger, this desire for his power. It gave her a pleasure which nearly bordered a sensual feeling, one which build up as some strange sort of pressure in her…

Only for him to stop, and Tayuya realized she wanted him to continue. Much to her embarrassment, she realized he was looking at her, apparently curious. "That… it just felt great," she stuttered.

"I know," Genkuro couldn't figure out what the strange flood of her emotions meant, other than that it was a blissful feeling unlike any other. He knew she had her toes all tensed up in her sandals, as this warm and fluctuating sensation spread through her. It was just like Temari had felt when they… '_That was something I cannot tell Tayuya. Though, I wonder why Temari insisted on keeping it a secret.'_

"P-please… Erm… C-could you… again?"

The women were so similar, and yet so different at the same time. As he held her in his arms, slowly sharing his warmth with her, Genkuro wondered why Temari and Tayuya felt so differently. Both girls were highly intelligent, Genkuro had quickly realized that while they lived among the monks. Yet where the slightly older Temari was civilized, someone who would plan ahead, the careful and responsible one of them, Tayuya was completely different. She was crude and direct, to the point where most took offense at her behavior. Yet in spite of the way she kept people at a distance by acting tough and arrogant, Genkuro knew she was also rather insecure. She had relied on her rage, her hatred, for years, and then Genkuro came into her life and removed the foundation upon which she had lived up till then.

Through their mental link, established when he left a fragment of himself in her cursed seal, Genkuro could feel her insecurity. He could feel how much the girl was clutching to both him and Temari as she sought to establish her new path in life. In a sense, he could even feel his own emotions echoing though her, as the link influenced her just as much as him.

For the first time in his existence, Genkuro became aware of how unusual their bond was, how intimate and deep it was. Yet through that familiarity, her current emotions felt weird to him. He couldn't help but compare this situation to the moments he and Temari shared the night before rescuing Tsunade, Shizune, and Tonton. He kept seeing the blushing blonde in his mind's eye, how she leaned in to kiss him again. He recalled how close her body had been to his, with only the thin fabric of their clothes separating them.

However, it would be unfair to compare the two, he knew. Both were different. They had similarities, especially in how they struggled in this unforgiving world. But both were unique. In terms of cooking skills, for instance, Tayuya surprised everyone, herself included, with her culinary talent. Temari, on the other hand… well, Tayuya once joked that Kankuro, Temari 's rarely discussed puppet-obsessed brother, had derived much of his puppets' poisons from his sister's meals. It was not the type of joke that Temari appreciated much, but even Genkuro confirmed that Tayuya's cooking tasted better.

'_But if they're both unique, then how could this 'love' thing work? Is this why they said that you can only truly love one person? But why would I only feel like that about one person? Hinata felt special to me, and I still don't really understand why… but those dreams, what do they mean? That red-haired woman, I felt just like that when I saw her. Or that black-haired woman… is that something Naruto remembered? It all seems so strange.'_

He honestly did not understand it. All these confusing emotions, he had never had felt any of these things before. Life was so simple back then. When he was hungry, he made a physical manifestation and collected all the warmth of an area. When he was satisfied, he forfeited his form and drifted across the world, unseen by anyone. Roaming freely, he could just follow his instincts. Then he met someone who sparked his interest, the person who taught him what it meant to be _human_. But these human emotions were so difficult to deal with. '_I should ask Temari. She'll know what to do. She always does. And it was her kiss which created this mess…'_

Too distracted by his own troubling train of thought, Genkuro never noticed how Tayuya had frozen up. While he had a poor understanding of human emotion, she knew better. Sure, with her life up till now she wasn't exactly great at it, but at least she wasn't as ignorant in these matters as Genkuro. Just like how he could feel, in general terms, how she felt, she could do the same. It wasn't a one-way connection. So she felt his confusion as she was in his arms. At first, she thought she was the cause of this confusion, but…

'_Temari. It is all about Temari,'_ she thought bitterly. She knew better than anyone else how devoted he already was to her, even at the moment she first met them. But never had she felt emotions as powerful as these, not from him. He was the pinnacle of the happy-go-lucky type of people. He never was the sort of guy who hid his feelings. If he was happy, he showed it, and if he was mad… well, you'd better run like hell. But right now, he was hiding something. Temari was hiding something.

'_What did they… something happened between the two of them, didn't it?'_ she became sad and silent, confusing Genkuro with her sudden change of mood, now that he was paying attention to the world around him again. She didn't answer his questions. Feeling that she did not want to talk, he instead led her back to the cove where Temari was sleeping in their shared traveling tent. He had torn his way through rock and river to find them, a testament to his sensory skill. The only thing which had hindered him was the cold water, sapping him of his warmth. Vaporizing it was an effective method, even if the resulting mist and steam was somewhat bothersome.

If Tayuya had any doubt about Genkuro's developing heart, it was shattered when she saw how Temari, half asleep, curled up against Genkuro, almost lovingly embracing him. Temari, the one who used to put up the largest barrier against physical contact, unlike Tayuya who had always been straightforward about what she wanted, showed no hesitation as she nestled against the young man whom Tayuya loved. It hurt her to see that this girl stole him away, because what hurt her more than anything was the tender smile which Genkuro displayed.

As she lay next to her two best, and sole, friends, Tayuya felt cold and emotionless. In spite of the warmth which Genkuro radiated, Tayuya was too tormented to feel it. She wanted to cry, to rage, to destroy everything in sight… and she couldn't. She couldn't get herself to hate either of them. She loved them too much. Even if Temari really broke the promise they made, Tayuya still loved her. She knew how both of them had suffered, especially Genkuro. The feeling of his 'rebirth' was a pain Tayuya had deemed impossible. And she knew they both cared for her. But was it love? What place did she have in their hearts? It pained Tayuya that her feelings might never be reciprocated, that she was merely a fool blundering in her own ignorance. Yet in spite of all the pain it caused her, Tayuya still loved them, more than she ever loved herself.

'_I'm in their way…'_

* * *

It shook her awake as always, and she still felt the pain from her dream. It was always the same dream, always the same inescapable fate. There was the horrifying pain of being crushed to death, suffocated, while pressure increased to the point where she woke up, panting, sweating. How she hated the dream.

"Shion-sama?"

She looked to her side. The young monk, polite and distant to the point where it got annoying, stood by her tent. Not peeking at her, of course, as that would be impolite, but nevertheless vigilant, there was young Honen with his piercing light grey eyes.

"It's nothing, just another dream," Shion replied, a bit sharper than she intended. Then again, she had just woken up rather roughly, so they could expect her to be a little snappy.

"Your dreams aren't nothing," Shion could hear the frown in Honen's voice. What an annoyingly sharp-witted man. When they had begun their journey from the Fire Temple, Shion had expected Tayuya to be the biggest pain, with the bare-chested yet seemingly ignorant blond young man as second. Shion didn't like stupid people, and Genkuro seemed very stupid. Yet the one who got under her skin most of all was this monk. Always calm, always polite, he frustrated Shion.

It was because he always managed to find her weak characteristics, and subtly pointed them out to her, always with the edge of disdain or mockery to his polite voice. Shion hated it when people like him reminded her of the fact that she wasn't much of a priestess compared to her mother. "Death. It is always the same death," Shion grumbled.

"None of us, I hope," Shion realized that Honen wasn't the only one still up. Perhaps it was that Tsunade just took over Honen's shift at keeping watch, or perhaps the elder Senju still hadn't slept. She seemed rather distraught after the earlier battle.

"A blond boy fighting and dying against a behemoth of sand," Shion sighed, not making any effort of hiding her annoyance. She wrapped her blanket around her, and crawled out of her tent. "It is always the same dream, that boy clad in orange who stood up against a foe far beyond his capacity to fight. It is saddening to see such pointless bravery."

"It is sad," Honen's voice seemed in disagreement with his words. "Yet the death of Uzumaki Naruto led to the birth of Genkuro."

"So you say it is a good thing he died?" Shion shook her head in disbelief. "What will happen if he remembers his own death? What will happen if he remembers who he once was? What if he becomes 'Naruto' again? Such a brutal death can do strange things to a person. Seeing it, in itself is bad enough, but to experience it…"

Tsunade fell silent at the priestess' words, but Honen remained seemingly indifferent. "You would say that it is a person's fate to die," he countered Shion's statement with her own words.

"What bothers me is not knowing why I keep having that specific dream," Shion snarled back. The fool kept pointing out that she was arrogant and cold, yet what did he know? Nothing! "I should have dreams of people who have yet to die. It doesn't make any sense for me to dream about people who are already dead."

"Are you sure he is dead?" Tsunade mumbled.

"What?"

"Naruto, is he still dead? Or has he returned to life, and become Genkuro? Or does Naruto yet have to return?"

"If so, I should see Genkuro, and not Naruto," Shion frowned. "You mean that there is a distinction between the two?"

"Who knows? Genkuro is unique, who could say what he is?" the Senju asked calmly. But none of them would know. Yes, perhaps Jiraiya would… Tsunade knew he was hiding something. '_That foolish man and his prophecies,'_ she scowled. He had trained a few orphans, years ago, claiming that one of them was the 'child of prophecy'. They died only a few years later. He had trained Minato, a shinobi who rose to power so quickly that he even the powerful Sandaime Hokage stepped down. The Yondaime Hokage was a man who made the entire shinobi world quiver in fear, and yet he had died, another child of prophecy.

At times, it felt like Jiraiya cursed people with those prophecies, just like she did when she gave her loved ones that accursed necklace. Tsunade still wondered why she had grabbed that thing from Orochimaru's desk while they were fleeing the laboratory. She should've left the damned thing there.

That thing wouldn't take her anywhere. But Jiraiya… he knew something. He was out scouting the area around the shrine. They had agreed that they would need Genkuro for that attack, rather than risk attacking without him. Tsunade had seen firsthand why Jiraiya argued that, although Honen's explanation of how Genkuro was his own avatar confused her. Then again, the entire skillset of the monks had long been shrouded in mysteries, and the boy wasn't inclined to give any straightforward answers to her anyway. Damn abstaining monks… apart from them, there were only two who understood the mysterious young man to some degree…

* * *

And one of them felt like she didn't understand him any longer.

It had taken quite a while before Genkuro had fallen asleep. Tayuya knew he slept only for an hour or two, his body apparently requiring a lot less rest than any other. In addition, in his worry about her, he had difficulties falling asleep. It boggled him why she had changed so suddenly. Yet where he always had to ask Temari, he could just feel how things were going when it came to Tayuya; right now she radiated a very definitive 'shut the hell up' vibe. So he did; he didn't understand what was going on, but he trusted her to be right. He just expected himself to have screwed up something, as usual. Not understanding the basic laws of human interaction was a difficult handicap. But usually either Tayuya or Temari would explain it to him, after they cooled down enough.

He wondered what it could be that had rattled her so much. Whatever it was that she felt, he couldn't understand the strange maelstrom of emotions within her, which was rather annoying. As much as Genkuro depended on Temari's wisdom, it was Tayuya who taught him about emotion. Or, like Jiraiya once put it, Temari governed the matters of the mind, whereas Tayuya instructed him on the matters of the heart. It was a rather awkward construction, but it was good enough for Genkuro to learn at an incredible rate. Only a month ago he barely knew any words, and now…

Now, he didn't understand what was going on with his friend. But wading through the raging cold river, as he could neither swim not walk over water, was a task that left even someone like him worn out. So he slept. The moment she noticed he was asleep and his side of the link between their minds had calmed down, Tayuya sneaked out of the tent.

She knew Genkuro tried to understand her position, but she wouldn't let him, couldn't let him. She didn't want him to see her as a petty little girl, jealous of a friend stealing away the man they both loved. '_And how could he understand? He barely understood the concept of love, so how was he supposed to understand 'jealousy'?_ _He wouldn't. He's too clueless for that... I don't want him to see me weak.'_

But what did she want? She stalked to the river's edge, vaguely noticing how Genkuro had damaged the riverside with nothing more than his brute strength. What did she want? She didn't know anymore. She wanted to live a live a life of happiness, just like in the books. She wanted Temari to be happy, something her friend deserved after all those horrid years in Sunagakure, and she wanted Genkuro to be happy. She loved him. He saved her, liberating her in more ways than he knew. It disgusted her that she was jealous of them. Then again, even though she did not begrudge them anything the world could give, what did she want? Their happiness was more important than her own, but why did it have to hurt so much? Who was she, if they loved each other…

'_Who am I to them?'_ she bitterly asked herself, kicking in the cold water with one foot as she sat on the rocky riverside.

* * *

_Author's notes_:

* * *

Well now… sometimes chapters seem to write themselves, and sometimes it is an endless struggle to finish them. Tayuya's position between Temari and Genkuro/Naruto is a difficult one. On one end, she practically worships Genkuro, desiring him at her side for the future. On the other hand, she has Genkuro's emotions bleeding into her. I really do hope that I managed to portray it all in a way that does the situation justice; this kind of emotional entanglement is difficult to write.

In contrast to her plotline, I kept the battle with the Gang of Four short. After Kabuto, Orochimaru, Hidan, and Kakuzu, I felt like an idiot after I initially wrote a longer version of that fight. So instead, I only gave Shizuku a little more focus, or rather, Genkuro's weakness against water. Imagine him fighting against someone like Kisame, rather than random-ish-feeling filler characters like the Gang of Four. No, these four were not enough to pose a threat. Moryo, on the other hand…

But first, there will be the matter of Tayuya choosing her path. As always I thank my beta **Illuminated** (I'm glad **MRAY 4TW** didn't get him into trouble!) as well as the elusive **ensou** for her feedback. Please leave **reviews**, and tell me what you think of my story. This chapter was a difficult one for me to write, so any constructive remarks from you would be very welcome!

* * *

-Z-


	18. Grace for Drowning

**Pareidolia**

* * *

**Chapter seventeen**

**Grace for Drowning**

* * *

"_Ever has it been that love knows not its own depth until the hour of separation."_

― Kahlil Gibran

* * *

An enormous, bleakly-lit hall surrounded them. A pale, hybrid being, a being half-human and half-snake, lay on the ground before him. "No… No more…" it hissed weakly; it was pathetically weak.

"There isn't much more," Genkuro looked around, perfectly calm. So many shards, so many broken mirrors, and for every one Genkuro had broken, Orochimaru had suffered. For every broken mirror, the snake had lost a fragment of his memories. Due to the vastness of the hall, it had taken Genkuro quite some time to shatter them all. None could deny that Orochimaru hadn't gathered a vast amount of knowledge. Still, Genkuro knew he could've done it a lot faster and crushed all the mirrors at once, but that wasn't what he wanted. He was too vengeful for such a thing. Orochimaru had to suffer for his transgressions.

"End… me…"

"You wish to die?" Genkuro chuckled. "Death is the least that you deserved for what you did to Hinata, for what you did to Tayuya. And to all the others you tormented, whose minds you invaded, whose bodies you used as mere experimental subjects. I told you the fate I would give you."

"…"

"Seems like you never forgot about that," Genkuro's flaming orbs stared into the snake's empty eyes. The being once known and feared throughout the world as the great Orochimaru was now reduced to this, a creature begging for death, a creature barely remembering what he once was. "I left you only the mirrors with memories that hurt you," Genkuro droned emotionlessly. "I was considering saving them for last, but now I see what you have become… ignorance would be a blessing to you now, wouldn't it?"

"Yes… Please…"

"I hope Hinata and all the others find peace in the fact that you have groveled and begged for your death. That you are to be sent to the afterlife with nothing but fear. That the terror you once spread now returns to you, to haunt you during death."

"Death… please… death…"

"Those are the only words you remember, aren't they?" If had been anyone else, Genkuro would have felt some pity- but he had seen far too much from this disgusting man's history. _'He was a horrible person who mercilessly slaughtered innocents. Who visited orphanages, targeting the weak and defenseless. Recruiting and experimenting on children, his soldiers. What kind of person would ever be foolish enough to forgive such a person? Who would be naïve enough to ignore all this man's crimes?'_

Someone with a heart bigger than Genkuro. Genkuro had seen too much of humanity's history of relentless slaughter, and Orochimaru was an embodiment of the worst of what Genkuro had seen in his dreams. All those nightmares… and Orochimaru was the real thing. For a long time, Genkuro had doubted that mankind was capable of such horrors. To put it better, he didn't want to believe that humans were capable of such monstrosities.

"I suppose it would cheer up Tayuya, knowing that you have died," Genkuro frowned. '_I wonder why her mood suddenly changed so much. What did I do wrong? I don't get it all.' _After this was done, Genkuro figured that Temari and Tayuya would have woken up. He hoped they would explain to him what he had done wrong. Probably something stupid again. He usually did stupid things. '_After I got rid of this bastard, I can focus on restoring the memories of Uzumaki Naruto. Hopefully I will become less stupid.'_

Now, he would have to expel Orochimaru's soul. Dismantling this hall of mirrors would be a slow and tedious task. The downside of doing this while his body was sleeping was that he had less power at his disposal. Unless he was interrupted…

* * *

She stared at the flowing water at her feet, watching it run over the stones, pounding at the rocky walls that kept it constrained, on the path it belonged. A lone pebble sat by her foot, and she kicked it into the river without a thought, following it as it was forcefully drawn under the surface and swept along the continuous stream until her eyes couldn't see it anymore.

'_Who am I to them?'_ Tayuya sighed, sitting down on the rough shore, dipping her feet in the cold water. The river raged on, indifferent to her mindset, equaling the turmoil in her heart. She just couldn't seem to get them out of her head: Genkuro and Temari, embracing each other and completely content, without her.

She relived those frightening moments where she had struggled to survive in the water. The desperation she had felt had not been so much because she feared for her own life, but rather because she had lost Temari. Temari was the girl who had supported her, cared for her, even when she had no reason to do so. While hostile and distrustful at first, Tayuya had come to accept the blonde as a friend. Or… well, what she felt might be stronger than just friendship.

But that desire wasn't as blinding as the way she felt for Genkuro, the boy who had been her last enemy at first, then her savior. He was the one who had granted her a new life, a real life. He treated her not as some kind of misfit, the hated child of uncaring parents, or the faithful servant and bodyguard of a man who saw her as nothing but a disposable tool, but rather as a real human being. Still, Tayuya wanted more than just being a human. She wanted to be a woman, his woman. Her life had been filled with hatred and anger, and he had taken that away. Genkuro and Temari were the only people she could cling on to, seeking a new balance in life.

A leaf drifted past, but was forced under by the churning water at a sharp corner in the riverbank, and it struggled to fight back to the surface as it was pulled further and further away.

She knew exactly what the leaf felt like. She remembered the water, pounding against her, like an unstoppable force that would stop at nothing to keep her under its surface. Just like the leaf, she was pushed around, without any sense of direction, any chance to control where she went. She had swept downstream, struggling to get to her friend. The fear and desperation Tayuya had felt wasn't just because she was trapped there, but that Temari was down here somewhere as well, and she knew that without her, the blonde would be lost for good. Temari would die, due to her stupidly noble heart, and that rotten scythe which had dragged her down- just because she had risked her own life for Tayuya.

It could have been only a few meters, or even a hundred feet, but it had felt like miles before Tayuya had been able to grab Temari's arm and drag her to the surface, even as she continued to flail and fight the water that had been invading her body. Then there were the terrible moments where she had thought that she had been too late to rescue Temari, the moment her movements stilled. There was the terror at the realization that death wasn't just a possibility. It was a reality, where she had lost something irreplaceable. Those seconds had lasted for an eternity, until Temari began struggling to breathe again.

In all those years when her heart had been dulled by the cursed seal, Tayuya had not felt anything that came even close to the terror and dread, and the subsequent relief and joy, when she saw Temari coughing up water. So happy had she been, Tayuya had nearly kissed her, rather than giving the awkward CPR she tried beforehand, even though she knew Temari wasn't really accustomed to the idea of a girl loving a girl. That happiness had only grown further, to proportions easily wiping away all traces of the earlier terror, when Genkuro joined them, wading out of the river, indomitable as ever… all leading to seeing that sight, and the realization that Genkuro loved Temari.

The sheer bliss had soured, turning into a pain that cracked her heart in two. It ached now, yet at the same time, she felt empty. _'How were you able to feel something when it felt like there was nothing there to feel?' _Tayuya wondered.

It **hurt**. It hurt so badly, all she wanted was for it to go away, to be able to curl up around the wound until it scabbed over and healed, but she knew the truth: you never really healed from a wound like this. Genkuro loved Temari. She knew that she was a hypocrite, having feelings for the other kunoichi just as well, but Genkuro… Genkuro was different to her. It was deeper, he was 'the one', to her.

'_But who am I? Does he really care about me?' _It was the question that circled her mind ceaselessly, but she was no closer to an answer now than the first time she had thought it. She only felt the hollow pain spread, extending to her stomach, to her whole insides. She felt sick- heartsick, like she could throw up any minute.

'_Who am I?' _She wasTayuya: a murderer, a deceiver. How many lies had she uttered, how many throats slit, just to survive? Yes, it had been for survival at first, as she no option but to do as she was ordered, or face the consequences of failure… but later on, she had done those things just because it felt good, because it was one of the few things in her life that reminded her that she existed, that provided the thrill that made her remember what felt like to be _alive_.

Who was she, to deserve someone like Genkuro, or to be saved? Temari didn't have her hands stained with blood like Tayuya did. The blonde hadn't committed the atrocities that she had, that could never be forgiven. Tayuya wasn't the one who deserved to be saved, Temari was. '_She deserves him, not me.'_

She knew how Genkuro felt about Temari. She felt it too: the love, the caring, the unrestrained trust. Tayuya hated losing more than anything, but how could she even compete with that? How could she even _begin_ to compare? Tayuya knew who and what she was. There was no comparison between her and Temari.

'_I just had to keep fooling myself. A stupid dream of love and friendship. But for someone like me…'_

How could it not have been obvious before? And now that Genkuro had realized his feelings for Temari, what would her fate be? Would she just be another tag-along, like Jiraiya and Tsunade? Or would she even be worse, a burden like Shion? The shards of her heart splintered even further at the thought.

She couldn't bear something like that, to be abandoned again, sold by her parents, practically enslaved by Orochimaru. Now she was cast aside yet again, a third wheel, unwelcome, redundant.

'_It would be better to not exist. To be forgotten. To disappear. To let everyone else be happy. They deserve it. And I… I was never meant to feel something like that anyways.' _She wouldn't be in anyone's way anymore; then there would be no more pain. There would be no heartbreak, no loneliness, no fear of being abandoned, ever again. No more… There would be nothing: a sweet, soothing nothingness.

She stared into the fast-flowing river. She wished she was like water, just flowing from one point to the other, without a care in the world. She would be indifferent to any obstacle, unstoppable… instead, she was a little, helpless leaf, swirling on the tides of the river. But at least this leaf could make one change, one decision of her own.

'_It would be so easy.'_

Slowly, she walked towards the edge. The turbulent water held a morbid fascination on her. As horrible as Temari's near-death was, she felt so indifferent about her own fate, aside from the peace it could grant her. She paused for a second, glancing behind her on last time. She could still see them, Temari and Genkuro, together, embracing each other. It was a sight which only hardened her resolve more.

'_Thank you.' _And Tayuya stepped backwards off of the shore, falling into the ever-moving waters of the river behind her.

* * *

She didn't struggle, didn't make any effort to get back to the surface. Soon, she would run out of oxygen. Soon, her consciousness would slip away. In a corner of her mind, she processed that she subconsciously held her breath, and had to force herself to open her mouth. '_Stupid. Even now, my body resists. Even now, I can't hate them. But at least they won't see me this weak…'_

As she felt the darkness claim her, she at least felt glad that they wouldn't have to see her like this. The river would make sure of that. Oh, how she longed for her friends, for the people she loved: the only people she ever truly cared about… the people whom she couldn't be in love with… Darkness… she welcomed it with open arms. She could feel it clutch her, grab her, drag her. And then everything vanished, her consciousness drifting off in the dark eternal night.

There was a deep darkness, almost like a tunnel. She felt herself slipping through it. All the pain that she felt subsided. Her burning lungs, screaming for oxygen, were silenced. And from that dark tunnel, she saw a tiny light, a light that got closer and closer. It was… a light, brightness, warmth, peace, security… She basked in it. If this was death, than all she regretted was not dying before.

How much time had passed? She had no idea. Time had become irrelevant. Measures of the mortal world mattered little to those who had passed on. Weight, length, time, all things became trivial. She was the tiniest speck of dust. She was as large as the universe. She was but a flash, like a strike of lightning. She was eternal. She was nothing, and everything. It was eternity, a place where she had always been, for such a long time that her brief existence in the mortal realm lost all significance.

"_Dear me, so many guests lately. Apparently, thou art tied to Kurama. The unpredictability of his return filled me with a fearful presentiment, as not even one such as myself may tell what would happen to him and the child- so much adversity, so much anguish. And yet, thou art here: a proof of his return, a proof of his cleansed heart, yet thou art at a place where thou dost not belong, not a mortal soul. Even though, through the bind, thou hast become partially transient. So wake up, child."_

What the hell… what was this? Who was this ugly-ass old geezer talking to her? Who disrupted this peaceful realm for her?

"_Wake, child."_

The hell? The light blurred. The immovable eternity spun. Time, irrelevant as it had been, suddenly could be experienced again. Light, brightness, warmth, peace, security, it surrounded her. Embraced her. Squeezed her until it hurt. Blew air into her. Damn, it really hurt.

She couldn't breathe. Couldn't see. Couldn't hear. And yet she wasn't worried. Safety enveloped her. Touched her lips. It made her forget about the pain. She hardly felt her chest burn, her lungs emptying forcefully. Coughing. Coughing? It invaded her, so much warmth, such worry. And yet… she saw the origin of that worry. One could only be worried about the people whom one cared about, deeply.

"Is she… she isn't, is she? She can't be!" the shrill voice almost hurt Tayuya's ears.

"Wake up," the warmth made her move, made her open her eyes, open her ears, notice the world, dripping and soaked as it was- as she was. "Wake up." It was so forceful so commanding, so unlike him to talk that way.

"G-Genkuro?" she saw him hovering over her, only inches away from her. Not that Temari stood much further.

"She's alive!" The relief was painfully audible to Tayuya, who realized how worried Temari had been. _'Had she been as worried as I was when our roles were reversed? It sounded like it. But that couldn't be right, could it?'_

"Why?" The sadness in his voice was nothing, compared to the emotions that she felt through their link, smothering the words she had wanted to utter.

She had a weird taste in her mouth, bitter, from turning inside out to force all the water out. But there was also something sweet; her lips were strangely tingly. "Why… why did you drag me out?" It was the only question that mattered right now. Why had they dragged her away from that other place, that peaceful place? Though, now that she considered it, she realized how empty that realm had been. Genkuro kept flowing more and more of his energy into her, lifting the clouds of exhaustion from her mind, curing her weakened body.

"Why did you wish to end your warmth?" Genkuro countered.

"Why did you scare us like that?" Temari chimed in. "Please, Tayuya… I promised that I wouldn't let go of you. Why did you let go of us? I thought… I t-thought we were happy…" The woeful voice stabbed right through any resolve Tayuya had.

"I didn't want… you and Genkuro, I saw it," Tayuya strained to keep the tears out of her voice. She didn't want to look weak. Didn't want to… '_What did I want again?'_

With a pained grimace, Temari sat down next to her friend. _'I was barely conscious when Genkuro had returned, what kind of stupid thing did I do? Did I kiss him again? But why… why would that drive Tayuya to attempt suicide? Is she really that desperate?' _Temari sniffed, cleared her throat, and then finally mustered the courage to look Tayuya in the eye. She winced when she saw the pain and confusion in the girl's eyes, yet knew she couldn't back out now. Tayuya had noticed, and to keep lying now was… '_What I've done is already unforgivable. I broke her trust.'_

"Saw it?" Both girls looked at Genkuro, who obviously didn't understand the situation. His concern was obvious, though both could feel the frustration of not understanding underneath his worries.

"G-Genkuro, we can't… I have to tell it," Temari stammered. "When we were looking for Tsunade-sama, I tried to… Genkuro had a lot of questions after meeting Hinata, after witnessing her demise."

Tayuya blanched when she felt Genkuro's raw emotions through their link. "Hinata was the last body possessed by Orochimaru," Genkuro's grim voice was colder than Tayuya ever heard him. There was no anger, no emotion, only… nothingness was the best word she could find for it. He was devoid of emotions. He had regretted what happened, yet made the one who was guilty pay the price, and then tried not to linger on it. "Hinata was driven into his arms because her clan and village cast her out. She was deemed weak; weak, because of me."

"You?"

"In a sense. She loved Uzumaki Naruto, the old me. Her will was broken when he died. She was betrayed in the worst way possible by her own family, sold off to Orochimaru because he wanted her for her byakugan, for his new body. She suffered because of me." The bitterness he felt… even Temari felt it, and she wasn't even connected to him like Tayuya was. "When I fought Orochimaru, I entered his mind, just like I did to liberate you, Tayuya. I met Hinata there. She told me… she told me who I once was, about my fate, about her own fate, and about love."

"He didn't understand," Temari whispered. Tayuya could barely hear her voice over the sound of the river. "He didn't understand," she repeated, "Why Hinata felt like that. He couldn't cope with her death, and his own part in it. He didn't understand what love was. H-how… I tried to explain, but…"

"I understand."

"No, Genkuro, you don't. I mean… well, not completely," Temari muttered. "He… well, he kissed me," she confessed. "I know I promised… t-that we wouldn't go after him until… until he knew what we wanted… we… well, you know."

"You explained it to him, so you thought that he was ready," Tayuya concluded dejectedly. "And then you made your move, while I was still knocked out…"

"No! No, I'm not… I didn't intend… not that low. Not while you were like that. It wasn't… it was unfair," Temari struggled. "But I was stupid. I couldn't control myself. I was… all those years, and he… he kissed me, but I kissed him back. I kissed him. I screwed up, I know, but-"

"Why didn't you tell me?" Tayuya frowned. "You lied… Why did you lie to me?"

"I didn't want to hurt you," the blonde said in a subdued tone. "You were in a coma… I didn't want to…"

"You think that lying made it any better?" Tayaya's sarcasm did not elude the former kunoichi of Sunagakure. But what could Temari say? Tayuya was right, and she had been wrong. "You lied to me!" the girl snapped.

"Tayuya," Genkuro laid his hand on her shoulder. Tayuya had jumped up, and she wasn't even aware when she had done so, and his iron grip made it impossible for her to punch Temari. "She didn't intend to-"

"You! You didn't say a thing either!" Tayuya snapped at him. "The both of you, I bet you both had fun while you kept silent, laughing at me while I didn't know a fucking thing!"

"Don't talk to him like that," Temari growled, standing up as well. She didn't mind Tayuya being mad at her, but Genkuro was innocent in this. Both literally and figuratively, she positioned herself between Tayuya and Genkuro. "I asked him not to tell a thing, until I found a way to tell you that we-"

"Find a way?! Find a fucking way?!" Tayuya cried out. "How difficult could it be?"

"How could I just tell you something like that?" Temari blurted out. "Your state of mind… You'd do stupid things, like just now. You'd overreact, feel despair, consider suicide. You just… I didn't want you to do that!"

"So it is because I'm weak?"

"Yes! No! It's… dammit! You know… I know what you've been through. You're hurt. You're clinging to Genkuro, at me, and you-"

"And I'm a burden," Tayuya's voice broke. "Why did you pull me back? Why couldn't you just let me die, if you were going to throw me aside anyway."

Unable to put his emotions to words, Genkuro already felt frustrated. And in her anger and sorrow, Tayuya couldn't be reached through their link either. He just helplessly experienced her pain, her grief. '_What can I do to stop this? They both feel the same. Both have the same hope and fear. Why can't they understand each other? This can't be love, can it?'_

"Because I care about you, isn't that obvious?!" Temari barked, frustrated that she couldn't find the words to make her friend understand. "I want you to be alive and happy. That is why I lied, because I knew the truth… No matter how I explain it, it would hurt you. And I can't explain it. It just happened. I screwed up, I panicked, I just… I just was stupid enough to give in to my own selfish desires."

"How do you want me to be happy, if I can't be with the man I love?" Tayuya stood face-to-face with Temari, only a few inches apart.

"I'm sorry, okay, but I can't lie about my own feelings. You know how I feel, just as I know you do."

"Then why did you do it? Why did you steal him away? Why did you do it while I was knocked out?" Tayuya shook her head. "Please… Genkuro, please remove your shard from my mind. I can't deal with this shit any more. I don't want it any longer."

"You would die," Temari exclaimed. "You can't ask for such a-"

"This isn't your fucking decision," Tayuya growled viciously. "Stay out of my life. Haven't you ruined enough already?!"

"Her mind is her own. She governs her own soul," Genkuro sounded surprisingly calm. Even to himself. He didn't know how he kept his voice that calm and collected either. Inwardly, his frustration had reached a point where it had become explosively dangerous. "But what are you doing, Tayuya?"

"You know what I want," she replied with the same angry-yet-defeated tone of voice. "I want to be free. I don't want to be a burden to you and Temari any longer. I can't stay close to either you if I can't… I'd rather-"

"How am I supposed to make a choice between my right and left hand," Genkuro raised his voice, silencing her. "Why can neither of you feel it?!" his blazing eyes sparked and the soil cracked under his feet. "You _both_ love. How can love hurt if you both feel the same?" he growled. "Why can't I love you when I love Temari? Why can't I love Temari when I love you?!"

"Y-you…"

"You're _both_ precious to me. I don't care if you say it is strange. I don't care about what you say is normal or not. I just do. I can feel both of you. You care about each other. You care about me. Why are we fighting? Why do you both feel such pain? I love you both, I trust you both, and I depend on you both, why do I have to make a choice? Why should love be limited to two people?"

They didn't say a thing, but neither Temari nor Tayuya could fool him. He could feel it. Frustrated at not finding a solution to this problem, this problem which shouldn't even be a problem in the first place, Genkuro felt something break within him. He could not say what it was, but the knowledge just came to him as if he had always known it.

It was the origin, and now it was the solution: Ninshu.

He grabbed both, pulling them to his chest. Tayuya struggled, but fighting against Genkuro was like trying to move a mountain. He was just too strong. She could see and hear Temari protest too, also attempting to free herself from Genkuro's grasp. But he didn't listen. He didn't budge. Temari was physically stronger than her, Tayuya knew that very well, Temari was accustomed to wielding large and heavy weapons like that war fan she once had, but even Temari was powerless. In fact, with the grim expression on his face, Tayuya doubted if even Tsunade would have been able to resist Genkuro, even at her strongest.

His skin glowed, his blond hair began to waver, and the temperatures increased. Not that it hurt either of the girls. No, it enveloped them. It hugged them, much like Genkuro did right now. Just as unbreakable, just as resolute, the warmth encased them, his warmth, his helplessness. He knew love, but didn't know why it could cause such strife. He didn't know the problem. Even if he did, knowing the problem wouldn't mean that he knew a solution either. He didn't know. His ignorance was his greatest frustration. They had a problem, where he never even saw one. It was as if he tried to read, when the writing was in a language he didn't even remotely understand.

His emotions bled into them, not gently. It was not mere motion. No, he forced them on them. They permeated through the warmth, with such force that Tayuya couldn't help but shiver. He loved her. But how? He loved Temari. If he really understood, then he couldn't be serious about…

"It doesn't matter," Genkuro declared. "Not to me. But you are both blind. No one in this world ever seems to open their eyes. Only you, Tayuya, know a little. You know what it is to peek through the tiny window, into my soul. I will have to make you see. You both will have to see. No more barriers, not more walls. This ends now!"

Awed by his sudden commanding presence, Tayuya looked up. She saw Temari stare at him. And she couldn't tear her gaze from him either. They stood amidst a blaze, the unearthly inferno which Temari had last seen when he did not have this 'adult' body. What was really startling, however, was that his blonde hair was gone. Flames erupted from his once golden hair. Radiant like the sun, both girls were once again reminded of how different he actually was. Genkuro, the twice born, was as much a human as the mighty Kyuubi had been a normal fox. Genkuro was far more than just a human. Incomparably more.

'_He is but a fledgling, how much has he yet to grow?' _Tayuya could hear it. But she didn't think that, did she? The five magatama surrounding his neck and throat were glowing. They were the chains that bound him to this body, and windows to his true potential. Five were there, where nine would be more fitting, where nine would be necessary.

'_Why nine? What happens at nine? The fuck is going on?'_

Somewhere along the line, the borders had vanished, just like he had said. Like a flood breaking through the dam, thoughts and feelings forced their way in. Where did one begin? Where did the other end? Neither Temari nor Tayuya knew. He felt their wonder, their utter confusion, which even made them forget about their conflict for a moment.

"The teachings of ninshu were meant to give people a better understanding of themselves and of each other. The teachings were meant to lead the world into an era of peace. Yet, it was corrupted and defiled. It devolved into ninjutsu," Genkuro spat, surprised by his own bitter feelings. They were feelings of which he didn't even know their origin. "You who fight will know each other. Understanding will bring peace. I will connect you both."

The fires flared high, what little vegetation that grew on the rocky soil near the river turned to ashes. Steam rose as the flames even assaulted the mighty river itself. Fire, everywhere the girls could look, there was fire. There was a giant dome of flame, a blazing arena in which they would truly confront each other. The earlier pressure which Genkuro put on them paled in comparison to what was happening now. While Tayuya was used to his presence, to some degree, but Temari was paralyzed by this invasion of emotions. He invaded their minds, roughly, even though he didn't intend to hurt. They knew, as they felt his emotions. He didn't want to hurt them, but he didn't see another way to solve this conflict without using force. He still lacked the skill to do it better. They were too stubborn. Somehow, he knew he had done this before, but everything was different back then: his chakra, his body, his soul… everything.

It had to be done, before this rift would become irreparable.

Both Temari and Tayuya lost themselves in this swirling tide of emotion, of pain, hope, love, and despair. Now, Temari realized how badly she had assessed the situation, how deeply Tayuya relied on her, on Genkuro. _'Betrayed and hurt throughout her life, Tayuya had come to trust other people for the first time ever; yet she ended up being betrayed, just as always.'_ Tayuya's overreaction, as Temari had earlier thought, was not so strange anymore. '_She had lost faith in the world, just after she had gotten a little of it for the first time since she could remember. This 'tool' had tasted her first sips of humanity, only for it to seemingly be terminated by the very people who gave her that gift.'_ Temari had hurt her friend so much…

But why had Temari lied to her? She always seemed calm and collected, knowing what to do whatever the situation was. She was more mature than any other of her age, as was befitting of the eldest child of a kage, as someone who could one day rise up to inherit that position. Raised in wealth, practically the princess of Sunagakure, Temari had never lacked in anything- except love, as everyone kept a distance from her due to family relations. Around the calculative coldness of her father, the growing insanity of her tormented little brother… well, even before they had perished during the failed attack against Konohagakure, Temari had been walking on eggshells. One wrong move, and Gaara could've murdered her without blinking an eye. One failure, and her father would have discarded her.

But they died, and she and her brother were held accountable for the decisions of their father and the failure of their brother, and shunned. For all she had done for her village, she got nothing in return. The worse the war with Konoha got, the worse Temari's life got, to the point where she was forced into a marriage. How long can someone stay strong? How much resilience can a single person have? And Tayuya was… well, old habits die hard. Temari had always been the older sister, and took on the same role in this new little group of misfits. She was the responsible one, unlike Tayuya; in spite of her personal issues, Temari took on that responsibility. She knew pain, and would rather let herself suffer than inflict pain on those she cared about.

Temari had never aimed to hurt Tayuya. She never even intended to make a move on Genkuro. After years and years of living a loveless life, she found someone she desired to love. That desire got the better of her. Her desperate desire… before she knew what she had done, it had happened; she just lost control of herself like a fool. Repressed emotions burst out in an unstoppable flood. In her attempt not to hurt Tayuya, who had been so weakened from using Genkuro's power, she had made things even worse.

Looking at her blonde friend and rival, Tayuya felt how much Temari loathed herself for it. Looking back, Temari knew Tayuya now understood what happened. She knew she didn't particularly like it, but she understood. She felt that, just like Temari felt the echoes of Genkuro's affections resounding in Tayuya's heart.

"You weren't joking," Temari mumbled almost bashfully.

"I'm not the one who had to live her life in secrecy and lies, Bimbo…"

"Jealousy," Genkuro mumbled. "Is that why you were fighting? Why?"

"Because neither of us understood how big of a fool you are," Tayuya half-laughed-half-cried against Genkuro's chest. "You big, clueless, dolt."

"Look who's talking," Temari's muffled voice sounded. "You're even worse."

"I never made a secret of it, did I?"

"I really thought you were joking when you said you liked me. I mean, I…"

"You're thinking I'm a freak for loving you? Because a girl can like a girl?" Tayuya immediately knew this wasn't the case. The three of them were still connected. Ninshu had done its work, and for as long as Genkuro sustained it, there were no boundaries between them, no secrets. In a way, they had become one- boundless.

"You know I don't, but I don't know if I… well, I never thought about other women like that," Temari confessed. "I don't know if I swing that way."

"Why does it matter if you're male or female?" Genkuro's honest confusion was clear to both. "They all share the same warmth, the same blood, even though their bodies have some structural differences. Why do people create so many restrictions with love?"

"Because no one is like you," Tayuya smiled. Neither could see her do it, but they heard she did. "You crazy bastard. You knew about this solution all along. Why didn't you do this before?"

"I didn't remember." It was true. His frustration had somehow led him to this conclusion. But even now, Genkuro didn't know how he could've known this. He did it at Christmas, but that was only subconsciously. This was different. This was the real thing. Ninshu was an extinct art, predating even ninjutsu. It was impossible that Uzumaki Naruto knew about this. Was it possible that-

"The Kyuubi could have known," Temari voiced his thought. "But that would mean-"

"That Genkuro has the creature's memories," Tayuya continued without a pause. Their unity was even reflected in speech.

"Or it has another source," Genkuro frowned, thinking about the many halls within his mind. If one of them was Naruto's, then to whom did all the others belong?

"Well, what the fuck does it matter anymore," Tayuya grunted. "Ceasefire, Bimbo?"

"As you wish, Potty-mouth."

"You know I'm still going to win this, right?"

"In your dreams," Temari retorted, though with a smile this time. They both knew that Genkuro wouldn't stop loving either of them. Neither would win, neither would lose: they both won.

"But first we gotta settle one thing," Tayuya grabbed Genkuro by his torn haori, and pulled his face down. Her fears and depression forgotten, she kissed him passionately-so passionately, that Temari began to heat up from it. They were linked, sharing their emotions and feelings, so Tayuya's arousal was rather… _contagious_, even to Genkuro. Putting the things he learned from Temari to good use, he only made the situation heat up further and further, until…

"_I knew you would win. Even though your brother seemed to doubt you. He still doesn't take it too well that he isn't capable of helping you against him. I suspect he is afraid of him. Then again, everyone except you should be afraid of him, my dear." A woman with bright-red hair leaned against him. They were alone, finally, in their home. It had been such a long day, with hospital visits, celebrations, and all those things. They didn't have one moment to themselves, not until now. He quickly discarded her white kimono, and still felt the same boyish bewilderment that a woman as beautiful as her would love him. Her hair was arranged in buns, held close by the hair pins that he now removed. He loved it when her long, radiant hair fell down over her bare shoulders. He loved how it covered her firm breasts, with her erect nipples sticking-_

"Oi! What the hell was that?" Tayuya and Temari both felt an incredible pain searing through their heads. The weird vision confused them, but the pain it caused was unreal.

"Memories. Dreams. Mirrors," Genkuro mumbled. His lust had somehow dug up that memory. "Seems like any fluctuation in my emotions causes me to remember things…"

"Does it always hurt this much?"

"I'm sorry," as abruptly as he had invaded their minds, he also cut off the connection. "I shouldn't have made you feel that sort of pain. Destroying memories is painful, but restoring them is even worse. I made a mistake."

"You didn't. I was the one who kissed you, and caused this shit, right?" Tayuya rubbed her temples, although she'd rather rub herself at another place. "Care for a retry?"

"And we just dragged you out of the river, nearly dead," Temari shook her head. Part of her was jealous of Tayuya, eliciting such a reaction in Genkuro. Although she remembered how he had reacted to her kisses… had she felt such a connection at that time, Temari honestly doubted whether she could've restrained herself, because a certain part of her body cried out for him, just like back then. Or was that what Tayuya had felt just now? Temari couldn't really care.

"Shit changed. You felt that just now, didn't you? Like hell I'm going to ignore an opportunity to feel that good again," Tayuya chuckled. "You've had your way with him for a whole night, Bimbo, now it's my turn."

Genkuro buckled down, one knee hitting the ground with a force that would've snapped any other's kneecap. "What's wrong?" Temari put an arm under his shoulder, a gesture which Tayuya immediately copied. In a joint effort, they lifted him up; joint, because he was much heavier than expected.

"Ninshu is… consuming," Genkuro smiled weakly. "This fiery form I had to use for it is exhausting in this flesh-and-blood body." Also, the intrusion of that memory did not aid him. "There isn't much warmth around for me to absorb. I suppose I need to rest for a bit. Sorry…" he had a vague idea of what they wanted: the same thing the red-haired woman in his memory had wanted. Genkuro had experienced dreams like those before, but only now did he realize why those dreams ended so abruptly, shortly before things really got 'interesting'. The reaction of his body confused him, but considering how it was by no means a bad feeling, he was rather looking forward to discovering what it entailed.

"We've got that bratty priestess to take care of tomorrow," Temari agreed.

"Dammit. Ah well, perhaps it is better that we wait until we have a real bed at our disposal," Tayuya smirked mischievously. "And I said 'we', Bimbo, so don't give me that look. I wanna get in your panties too," she laughed.

"You really know no shame, do you?" Temari knew her question was redundant before even finishing her line. They had just shared their emotions, their entire beings, and Temari was thinking about shame? There was no shame between them. The way Tayuya kissed her only confirmed that. "I guess I have some deeply ingrained customs to get rid of, if we're really going through with this crazy plan."

"The more people, the more love?" Genkuro wondered, sleepily.

* * *

**-Warning: lemons invade this scene, so skip it if you're not willing to read that!-**

* * *

Tayuya couldn't remember the last time she had slept this peacefully… perhaps as a child, before she became conscious of the world around her? But waking up in Genkuro's arms, basking in his warm and comforting aura… it was difficult to compare it to anything else, especially because she didn't have any doubts anymore: not about herself, not about Genkuro, and not even about Temari. Temari, who was still sleeping, curled up on Genkuro's other side.

Resting her head on Genkuro's bare chest, Tayuya felt the wonder and delight of this new reality. '_To think I nearly threw away my life… Damn, I'm such a fucking retard,'_ she sighed. His calm and steady breath calmed her soon enough, though. The bitter memories of what transpired were just that: memories, things which happened, things to learn from, and to otherwise forget. At least it brought a lot of good too.

She kissed Genkuro's chest, just content with the taste of sweat on her lips. Her musings were disrupted when his hand touched her head. '_Dammit, so you were just faking sleep.'_

As if apologizing, his hand ruffled through her untamable dark pink, practically red, hair. '_Yeah, you're not getting away with that, mister,'_ she smirked mischievously. Silently, she put her leg over his, positioning her body over his. She could feel that he wasn't sure what she wanted, and frankly: even she didn't know. It was quite enticing to just tear her panties away and give him her virginity. So alluring… but she didn't want her first time to be just a quickie in a shitty tent, in some random cold chasm on these mountainous slopes, even though she knew she'd derive pleasure from him through their link.

Still, she had some catching up to do. So she maneuvered herself over his body, slowly going up while 'accidentally' touching his quickly-responding manhood a few times. This time it wasn't as ferocious as their first kiss, this time was calm, enjoying their moment. Loving, rather than ravenous. The hand which had ruffled through her hair slowly slid down her back, making her shiver at his touch. The other hand was occupied by Temari, who used his arm as a pillow and held his hand as a child who held her teddy bear.

'_But I've got the main course this time, Bimbo,'_ Tayuya smiled. Although she did stop his hand from going too low. She wasn't sure if she could restrain herself any longer if he did go there. '_I do hope I've got some dry panties stashed away in my storage scrolls…'_

Her tongue lashed out, touching his, wrestling his, while their bodies were intertwined, only separated by the thin fabric of his pants, and her own underwear. Her shirt was something she had discarded only a little while after Genkuro had fallen asleep. He radiated enough warmth for her to sleep without the damn thing.

"Don't mess with that," she was forced to hiss, disconnecting her lips only for a second. She didn't wear a regular civilian bra, but preferred to wrap herself in bandages. With her bust, it was rather uncomfortable in quick actions when her breasts had too much freedom of movement. But the way he was messing with those wraps would eventually cause it to… well, not now, not here. The sheer thought of him kissing her breasts made her mind run amok. Her lower body clenched together as if it would explode. Which, in a moan she couldn't control, it also did.

"Whazzat?"

'_Crap, I woke her up. Dammit, why couldn't I keep by damn trap shut?'_ she scolded herself, dazed by the feeling that echoed through her body. The feeling which numbed Genkuro just as well. "It isn't light yet, you can just sleep a bit longer," Tayuya was proud her voice didn't falter as much as her body did. "There's a shallow not too far from here, I'm going to wash up for a bit."

"Owzzoohkay," Temari mumbled drowsily. "Don' drown, 'kay?"

"Genkuro can make sure of that."

"I'll fetch something to eat, you just sleep for a bit," Genkuro agreed, his voice a bit strained.

"Right… well, I got his first kiss, I guess it's fair," Temari froze both of them in their tracks with a chuckle. In the half a minute it had taken Tayuya to find her shirt, Temari had gotten enough time to wake up a bit more. "Don't just stand there gawking at me. It's not like Genkuro is exactly subtle. He's going to tear a hole in those pants if he keeps that up."

"Bimbo… you-"

"After how I made you feel, this is the least I owe you," Temari smiled softly. "And I'd rather save my first time for when we are in an actual bed, a proper house."

"I didn't mean to exclude you, but-"

"It's his chakra, it's too addictive, isn't it?" Temari just waved them off. She knew she wouldn't be able to sleep. It was nothing she couldn't solve by herself, though. She had deceived Tayuya, so this was the least she could do in return. "Don't worry, I'll take the next turn," she smirked.

The two of them walked on the shallow part of the river which they had spotted the night before. "What was that?" Genkuro eventually asked. "That felt… great."

"Wanna feel it again?" Tayuya smirked excitedly.

"But… I'm not like you," he frowned. "I feel different. React different."

'_Holy crap, how naïve can this guy be? In the books, the guys practically tore the clothes of their women at this stage,'_ Tayuya sighed. "That's why it is different between males and females, you lovely twit." She grabbed his pants, hand stroking over the erect part of his body, making him the one who shivered in pleasure this time. "You can warm up the water a bit, right? Hell, can't you just make a tear into the riverbank, so we have an actual bath of our own?"

"'kay," he shrugged, although he tore the rock apart with more than a little hurry. He didn't know what was going on, but it felt just like the good dreams he had. Meanwhile, Tayuya was happy to see him impatient. However, she was hardly feeling any better herself. The spontaneous orgasm that she had before left her wanting more, much, much more. '_That chakra of his really drove me mad. I guess the same thing happened to Temari. Damn, how much restraint does that Bimbo have?_'

Tayuya knew she wouldn't last that long. No chance in hell she'd restrain herself that long. Had it been her that had gotten kissed, a lot more than just cuddling would've happened. Her shirt flew off, and Tayuya untied the linen on her chest. Or tried to do so, at least. Her hands were a bit shaky, her breath already unsteady again, merely from the anticipation. She nearly jumped away when Genkuro's hands joined her.

"Need help?" he smiled. Looking behind her, Temari realized that the loud cracking sound and subsequent splash she just had heard had been the sounds of him literally dragging a piece of rock out of the ground. It was deep enough for them to get in, the perfect bath, and already filling up with the cold river water that flowed in through the small chasm that led from the hole to the river.

"Yeah… that should be fitting," Tayuya chuckled nervously. Why was she nervous all of a sudden? Was it because she had gotten the time to think this through, because Temari had given a green light? Because… well, aside from the books, she didn't have the faintest idea what she was doing. It wasn't like Orochimaru would give his tools sex education. Still, when the linen wraps fell down her body, her hesitations lessened- to the degree that she stepped back, pressing her lower back to his erect member. It was still as hard as when she had kissed him just now. Then again, her arousal echoed through to him as well, so how could he have calmed down?

He had seen himself do it in one of his dreams. A black haired woman, with breasts more voluptuous than Tayuya, had leaned against him in that dream. Of course, Tayuya was not lacking in any way, she had a 'c' cup at least. How he knew that specific measurement was something he didn't even care about at this point. He rather remembered that dream, what he had done in that, shortly before he had woken from it.

Tayuya gasped when his hands gently fondled her breasts, with the rough skin of his finger sliding over her sensitive nipples… "Screw foreplay," she turned around and launched herself at him, kissing him as if her life depended on it. "The hottest scene I've ever read was a couple having sex in an onsen," she confessed, taking him by his hand and dragging him with her to their impromptu bathtub. "I figured that, with your ability… well, I might as well make my fantasy become real, right?"

She stepped in, leaving Genkuro gawking at her. Playfully, she removed her panties, throwing the thing into the river. The cold water only made her nipples harden even more. He didn't know how quickly he had to discard his pants and jump in the water, when she seductively waved him to come in. In mere seconds, cold water was the last thing Tayuya could be bothered with.

'_Figured that those novels were exaggerating. Ten inches sounded like bullshit anyway. But Genkuro… he's six, no seven, inches at least, isn't he? Hopefully the first time isn't as crappy as the books say,'_ she thought as she felt her body heat up more and more, not from the increasing water temperature. '_And he said he created his own body. Holy mother of Kami… I bet I can ask him to get bigger down there too,'_ she chuckled nervously, wading through the water, putting her arms around him.

"You still think that this is-"

"You don't doubt about this, so neither will I," he put a finger on her lips, silencing her. His other hand on her back, pushing her closer. "Still got no clue of what I'm doing, though."

"I'm not complaining," Tayuya kissed him, softly biting him in his lip. "But I will be if you don't get that dick into action. Just… just be gentle at first, okay?" she requested, as if she had anything to really worry about. The healing properties of his warmth, his unusual chakra, practically undid any pain he caused when she let him slide into her.

In fact, the tantalizing energy only made the experience… well, she felt what he felt. He felt what she felt. Their link was opened further than ever, their connection being both in mind and body. His hands slid down her back, holding her ass firmly, as she grabbed him by his shoulder. Sliding up and down, slow at first, but increasing their pace when the resistance lessened, neither Tayuya nor Genkuro could keep track of who felt what anymore.

With all her teasing prior, he didn't last as long as she wanted, but his climax echoed through, causing her to reach her second orgasm that morning. "No… fair…" was all she could pant shortly after. But even if they paused for a minute or two, savoring the feeling that surged through their bodies, cuddling and kissing, but it didn't hold them down for long. '_Kami… with his stamina… I'm going to lose my mind.'_

She just hoped Temari knew something to counter the risk of pregnancy. Tayuya had no clue if he could actually get her pregnant, with him not being human in the strictest definition of the word. Plus, she had gone through Orochimaru's experiments too… '_Care about that shit later, can't… can't let him win this. I'm not going to be the first to give up, hell no!'_

She didn't get the chance to think consciously for much longer. He did fulfill her fantasy of kissing her breasts, being fascinated by the soft and alluring flesh. When he nibbled her nipple, she couldn't help but scream as she came, uncontrollably.

However, she would not let him win that easily…

* * *

**(End lemon)**

* * *

_Author's notes_:

* * *

I've got no freaking idea how far I'm allowed to go with lemons, but considering some of the things I've read on this website… well, I did give you a warning prior the scene! And I don't think I made it too expressive either. But it is rather new for me to publish lemons. (And for Illuminated to edit them.) So I hope I didn't screw up. I mean, too many good fics get screwed up (literally) by pointless lemon scenes which serve no real point other than fanservice. Especially in the harem segment. In truth, I doubted for a long time whether I should be doing this or not. So, why a lemon now? Mostly because I thought the time was right. Genkuro/Naruto isn't ignorant anymore, and unlike Temari, Tayuya isn't really the type for restraint. The scene just felt like the perfect conclusion for the emotional rollercoaster which this chapter was.

And yes, I'm including Temari in the pairing too, don't worry. But I'm not intending to make this story your typical adolescent self-insert harem thing. I dislike those, to be honest, so this pairing isn't going to be like that. Why did you think I added the TayuTema elements? I knew I'd get into this predicament the moment I let Tayuya survive after chapter three. A realistic portrayal of this complex relationship is obviously not easy. As a wise person told me: this story is about four relationships.

Complex as it is, I'm bound to mess up on some points. So please, help. Leave **reviews**. Give feedback. I intend to write the best possible story I can, but I'm just one crazy person. I don't know everything just by myself. Together, we stand stronger. For instance, the feedback of **ensou** has improved this chapter by leaps and bounds, not to mention the aid and advice my beta **Illuminated** gave. For one: he warned me about the current fillers in the anime. Apparently something is going down with Kaguya that wasn't in the manga. I must admit that I haven't seen it yet. And I highly doubt I'll change anything in my plans for this fic, so I'll probably end up ignoring it like the rest of the filler.

* * *

-Z-


	19. Shadow and Flames

**Pareidolia**

* * *

**Chapter eighteen**

**Shadow and Flames**

* * *

"_Forth, and fear no darkness! Arise! Arise, Riders of Theoden! Spears shall be shaken, shields shall be splintered! A sword day... a red day... ere the sun rises! Ride now!... Ride now!... Ride! Ride to ruin and the world's ending!"_

― J.R.R. Tolkien

* * *

"Why did they fetch us food, and even find us a way up this fucking mountainside?" Tayuya wondered while petting the fox she held in her arms. The creature squinted from the sheer pleasure it took from the attention it got from its lord's mate.

"I've seen them do that before," Temari smiled. "When you were comatose, there were a few who gathered rabbits-"

"Hares."

"-Hares for us. The kits beg for Genkuro's attention, and the grown animals seem to worship him as their god. I've seen it happen before too, like when he didn't have an adult body."

"I suppose it makes sense, if he's the Kyuubi too," Tayuya chuckled. "Wait, I never thought… Crap, did I just fuck a bijuu?" Just taking a sip of water, Temari snorted it all out through her nose, after which she started to laugh uncontrollably. It didn't take long before Tayuya joined in. "You're right, what the hell does it matter, we know what Genkuro is."

"We both do," Temari smiled at her friend, rival, and… what should she call Tayuya now? Her lover? That part still confused her.

"Let's find that pain-in-the-ass priestess, kick that demon or whatever it is in the nuts, and find a decent place for him to pop your cherry."

"Tayuya!"

"What?"

"Can't you be a little more… well, decent?" Temari muttered, unable to stop herself from blushing at the earlier remark.

"Why? You saw my mind, I saw yours. You're just as perverted as I am, even if you're trying to hide it. Although I seem to remember you once said that you confiscated your brother's dirty books… how much inspiration did those books give you?" Tayuya smirked knowingly. "Can't wait for what's going to happen. Threesomes really do seem freaking hot!"

"…"

Tayuya kissed the stunned Temari on the cheek, before jumping up the narrow path which led up the slope towards Genkuro, who had gone up already, insisting he'd check for possible ambushes. Temari absentmindedly put a finger to the kissed cheek, slowly shaking her head at Tayuya's enthusiasm. It was an enthusiasm that even made the girl forget about the slight limp she now had.

'_At least she's wearing clothes again. Genkuro too… Dammit, now that's all I've got in mind,'_ Temari slapped herself in the face. '_Get your mind out of the damn gutter, Temari. Focus on the mission at hand. Focus. Focus. Peni… NO! No, I mean focus. Dammit. Stupid.'_

Silently cursing at herself, Temari followed. Upon reaching the top, she saw Genkuro literally covered in foxes. Temari counted twenty one tails, and knew there were more. They were just moving too quickly to count properly. Genkuro sat in the centre, laughing. Apparently they all wanted to smell him, and each fox, except the kits, approached him while holding their body low. They were showing submission to him, acknowledging him as their dominant.

"We've got some pheasant on the menu this time," a widely-grinning Tayuya held up a scroll. "Those crazy things even plucked out the feathers… I have no idea how he made them do it, but it's freaking amazing."

One of the vixen approached Tayuya, carefully holding a small kit with her teeth. The fluffy little cub only recently seemed to have opened its eyes, staring at her with innocent slate-blue eyes. "Awww," it yelped softly when Tayuya took it from the mother, petting it. It didn't take long before another vixen approached Temari, curiously snuffling, even licked her at the shins. Meanwhile the foxes had mobbed Genkuro, who had become the 'victim' of social grooming.

* * *

"What do you mean 'you got held up by foxes'?" Tsunade frowned. "What kind of shitty excuse is that? We were worried something happened to the three of you!"

"They were just too cute," Temari admitted. "They got us food; the least we could do was to give them some of the attention they begged for?"

"Yeah, they practically worshipped Genkuro," Tayuya chimed in.

"Why doesn't that part surprise me?" Tsunade sighed. "Do you need some healing, though?"

"Eh… no?"

"Well, you walk a bit funny, and considering how the two of you fell off a cliff yesterday, I assumed…" Tsunade paused when Tayuya blushed until even her hair paled in comparison. "Riiiiight… it were _foxes_ that delayed you, sure. Sounds like it was only one 'fox' that stalled you," Tsunade smirked knowingly. "I must admit that it's my first time hearing that excuse."

"But it is true!" Tayuya sputtered.

"On both accounts," Temari coughed, not letting the chance slip by to tease her friend.

"Ah well, 'delayed by foxes' would've been a funny excuse for an extended hanky-panky session," Tsunade chuckled. "I remember the creative excuses Shizune found when-"

"TSUNADE-SAMA!" said raven-haired kunoichi exclaimed. "Please stop!"

"I bet that's not what you said to him, when he-"

"Where is Jiraiya?" Genkuro raised his voice. Although he couldn't tell why Temari and Tayuya were so uncomfortable about the subject, he figured that silencing the devious Senju would not be a wrong decision. "I can't sense Honen nearby either."

"The priestess is still cooped up in her tent," Shizune mumbled, her face easily matching the shade of red which Tayuya was blushing. The younger and elder blonde kunoichis had both donned smirks from ear to ear, but their victims didn't have the same idea of 'fun'. "Jiraiya-sama and Honen-san have gone out to scout the area ahead."

"When will they return?"

"You want another break with your little harem?" Tsunade tried to goad him- or the girls. They had the shorter tempers, so it would be more likely that they snapped first.

"Temari-chan said she'd rather wait until we get somewhere inhabited, so we can rent a hotel room with a comfortable be-"

The hotel-lover slapped him with the blunt end of her triple-bladed scythe, her face glowing a bright blush from the embarrassment she felt. "Shut. Up. About. That." She smacking him on the head with each word, putting enough force behind the blows to daze even him. "Seriously, I told you to shut up about those things."

"That shit is private," Tayuya agreed, adding a kick of her own to get the message across. "Don't talk about it with any else."

"Not private anymore," a certain sennin sat up in the trees, holding his notebook while scribbling furiously.

"Like hell that's going to end up in your books, we're not going to be some kind of freaky sex idol due to your damned books like Tsunade-sama!" Temari exclaimed, with a loud 'yeah' from an equally mad Tayuya. Quick as lightning, both kunoichi lashed out in an attempt to grab the notebook from the perverted hermit and to tear the incriminating object apart. Sadly, Jiraiya was just too fast for them.

He wasn't fast enough, however, to dodge Genkuro. "No! Not my notebook! You monster," the old man cried like a baby when the ashes of the notebook scattered from Genkuro's hand.

"He's all yours," Genkuro nodded at Tsunade, who was already cracking her knuckles.

Shion woke up at the sound of three indignant women crying out 'you pervert', followed by the sound of a man crashing down to the ground. Who was it that said that humans can't fly?

* * *

"So there is only one guy out there?" Genkuro sighed. "Boring. And here I thought I'd meet someone who'd be more fun than those four idiots from earlier."

"This last man must be Yomi himself," Shion mumbled. "He should not be underestimated. He's the mastermind behind it all."

"True, his chakra felt off," Honen grimaced. "As if he is possessed by something evil. He just… it felt wrong. Evil."

"That must be Moryo itself," the priestess nodded. "Which means we should hurry. If Yomi manages to set Moryo free…"

"Then we move at once," Jiraiya agreed. "The shrine is unprotected. While we stand together, Yomi will be unable to stop us."

They quickly ran through the cliff. With Shion being carried, they could cover ground fast. And with Genkuro smashing away the piles of rock which closed off the path after the earlier ambush, they didn't meet any obstacles either. This time no one was waiting for them, although Genkuro did insist on running ahead of everyone, just like he insisted on Jiraiya staying near Temari and Tayuya. It was a remark that resulted in him getting the scythe again, as neither girl wanted to be treated as some weak fodder. They could fend for themselves.

Although their protests were rather hypocritical, once they fussed about Genkuro needing to look out. This 'forced' Tsunade to make a remark about young love… which silenced the two kunoichi right away.

Having crossed the ravine without any resistance, they followed the path and eventually crossed a field littered with large boulders. Something about them seemed strange, but Genkuro couldn't feel a thing. He did feel, however, the barrier created by the rope of sealing tags in front of the entrance of the shrine. Although this barrier wasn't intact anymore, as Yomi had already forced his way in.

"He's inside," Jiraiya mumbled the obvious. "He would have to go in. You still haven't seen any of us die in your clairvoyant dreams, priestess?"

"I think it is best that only I enter the shrine. And Genkuro. He might be able to fight Moryo, in case I fail," Shion said with a sad determination. "All I can see is the death of Uzumaki Naruto, so I doubt that Genkuro will die if it comes to a battle. I would have seen it happen if it had been otherwise. But I do not know what would happen to any of the others if you enter the shrine. None of you are like him, even though I don't have the faintest idea of what happened to him."

"And what about you?" Tsunade frowned. "Or is it impossible to see… well, you know, your own death."

"I do not know. My mother didn't see it, as far as I know, so perhaps I won't either. But that is a risk I am willing to take. Have to take. It is my duty. Too many have perished for me to back out of my duty due to cowardice. This is _my_ duty. Only I am capable of imprisoning Moryo."

"None of you needs to risk death," Genkuro agreed. "I'll just smack that guy down before he can set that demon-thingy free. So don't worry that much, Temari. You too, Tayuya. You both know that I won't be stopped that easily. And I've got plenty of motivation to get back as soon as possible, right?"

Temari looked at him, how he radiated confidence, but she couldn't feel the same way. This was going too smoothly- way too smoothly. She knew that people like Yomi didn't plan these kinds of things while only relying on four mediocre shinobi like the ones that attacked them earlier. "You better be careful."

"I'm not going to let anyone get the jump on me, not after… Oh damn, me and my big mouth," he smacked himself to the face. "I just had to say it, hadn't I? Dammit, it must be that Moryo guy. I had issues sensing those ambushers, and now this. He doesn't have any warmth in him at all!"

They all turned around to see what had gotten into Genkuro, when the sounds of rock cracking surrounded them. Soldiers, awkwardly moving stone constructs, erupted from the boulder. One, two, sometimes even three soldier erupted from each of the numerous boulders which had littered the field before the shrine. Within seconds, the group realized that they were trapped. "The Yureigun, the ghost army," Shion stared at them in despair. "How? How did they move the army so far without anyone noticing?"

"Who gives a fuck? We gotta keep these assholes away from the shrine, right?" Tayuya growled. She took out her flute, and gathered as much chakra as she could. She knew that her being the genjutsu type was a bad match against these things, but she wouldn't go down without a fight. Summoning at least one of her Doki should be possible, and they would be able to smash a few of those blockheads.

Likewise, Temari grabbed her scythe, while Shizune just stared at the poisoned senbon she held in her hand. '_This isn't going to help me much in a battle like this, is it?'_ the pig-toting kunoichi sighed. Tonton oinked sadly.

"You three, stand back," Tsunade ordered. "Hah, this is perfect. Stone soldiers, right? So there won't be any blood," the Senju chuckled and looked at her old teammate. "I suppose it has been too long since I've cut loose."

"Can I ask you for this dance?" Jiraiya bowed.

"Smartass. You never change, do you?"

"It would be fun to see someone aside from me at the receiving end of those fists of yours," the gallant Jiraiya nodded. "Honen, you and the girls made sure none of these things get into the shrine, while Shion and…" The impact of Tsunade's chakra-charged fist into the frontline of the Ghost Army was too loud to make his speech audible.

Not that Genkuro needed to hear his words. After one last look at Tayuya and Temari, he grabbed Shion and unceremoniously threw her over his shoulder. Her protests vanished while the two of them walked into the shrine.

"Be careful," Tayuya mumbled, watching as her lover vanished into the shrine.

"Lovesick already?" Temari joked, putting a hand on Tayuya's shoulder.

"You can joke, but you can't hide," her friend countered. "You just want him to get this over with as quick as possible. And you darn well know why!"

"…"

"Closet pervert," Tayuya smirked at the blonde, knowing she'd been the victor of this little intermezzo. "I know who you are, Temari-chan."

"Just like I know you. Him and his freaking ninshu… But I bet you that I can kill more of those stupid things than you." Temari lifted her scythe, really wanting to give the weapon a try. After losing her summoning contract when she was forced to leave Sunagakure, this weapon seemed like a proper homage to her friend Kamatari. And she needed some practice to manipulate her wind chakra the same way as her loyal weasel had done.

"Oh, you're on, Bimbo," the red haired kunoichi laughed. "You're on. I'm betting one night with Genkuro that I win!"

* * *

While the battle outside against the nigh-indestructible stone soldiers unfolded, Genkuro rushed deeper and deeper into the mountain. The tunnel eventually ended, and the two stepped into an enormous hall. This mountain wasn't just any mountain, it was a volcano. The liquid lava flowed, visible between the maze of paths that led across the 'shrine'. In the dark hall, lit only by the glow of the molten rock beneath, Genkuro quickly detected the scrambled signature of the man name Yomi.

Shion grimaced, and would've fallen over, if not for Genkuro stopping her. "Again. Why do I keep seeing it? Uzumaki Naruto is already dead," the young priestess panted. "But this isn't the place… this can't be the place where Naruto will die."

"It doesn't matter," Genkuro lifted her up, and ran into the maze, jumping across whenever he reached a dead end. Warmth couldn't slow him down. If anything, this place was perfect for a being like him. Never had he felt such great amounts of energy around him. Although Genkuro wondered what the effect of Moryo's inhuman chakra would be. Perhaps he should've waited on sending Orochimaru to the afterlife. In spite of the atrocities the man had committed, the amount of knowledge he had had been very useful.

"How you've grown…" a deep voice reached across the hall, when Genkuro had reached halfway through. "You resemble Miroku," a pale and weak-looking man had a seat right across the magma-filled maze. "Let us offer our greetings to the young priestess and her friend."

Soldiers of the Ghost Army marched into the maze, blocking the paths, quickly surrounding the duo. "My name is Yomi. Long ago, your mother Miroku stood in the way of my ambitions," Yomi continued. "Do you remember that day, priestess? We had resurrected Moryo as our leader and the Thousand-Year Kingdom was within our grasp. Your mother… if only that priestess had not been there."

The stone soldiers had reached Genkuro, and he put down the priestess. "N-no, don't leave me…"

"Calm down, I just have to swat them out of our way," Genkuro smiled. Casually, he jumped forward. His fist connecting to the nearest soldier, the soldier which supposedly was invulnerable to any conventional weapon, but it was blasted apart just as any other rock. In quick succession, Genkuro took down seven of them, and still he heard Shion's startled scream. The bell, the token her mother had given her, suddenly beamed, and the soldiers that had come too close to Shion fell into pieces.

"Why are you so shocked?" Yomi's deep voice rattled the young priestess even more. "Could it be that you are unaware of your power? What a surprise. Just what have you been taught all this time?"

"Just for this day, each and every day, I-"

"Honed your fuinjutsu?" Yomi mockingly completed her sentence. "Then hurry over here and… seal me. Can you do it?"

"She will," Genkuro bellowed. He saw the priestess falter, doubting her own skill and resolve, but Genkuro knew well enough that this was not the time for doubts. It was the time for action. No more soldiers of the Yureigun appeared, and Genkuro led Shion towards Yomi without any difficulties. "Why were you trying to kill her?"

"I was not, because I cannot," Yomi smiled. "I cannot kill the priestess. Just as she doesn't have the power to kill me. Because… originally, we were one and the same entity."

"That is a lie!" Shion exclaimed. "You are trying to trick me with your lies. You know you are already beaten, but still you try to deceive us! I won't let you free Moryo."

"Is there any reason for me to lie?" Yomi retorted calmly. "The seal… refers to you and I becoming one. Your mother Miroku accepted that. Yes, Miroku… your mother… is within me! Because of the enormous power of Moryo, and to ensure that we did not err in using it, we have separated ourselves into two hearts, two minds, and we have lived remonstrating each other ever since. Thinking of each other, staring down each other. Although after some time, our names were changed to the priestess and Moryo."

Shion just stood there, frozen, near Yomi's seat. "Seal him," Genkuro urged. He kept outside the markers, knowing that it wasn't up to him to do this. Only Shion could. But she had to hurry.

"Light, dark, good, evil… such words cannot bind us!" Yomi spoke, or was this Moryo already?

It didn't matter anymore, not to Shion. She initiated the ritual and activated the seal. Four orbs began to glow a pink-ish light, before a beam of light shot up, creating a barrier even Genkuro wouldn't be able to pass, forcing him to wait outside. Shion began to float slightly, but when she continued her sequence of unique hand seals, Yomi suddenly stood up. In a blur of movement he stood behind her. He somehow connected to her, taking something from her, some of her chakra, and then he fell.

Yomi's body had already been breaking under the strain, but his corpse… Moryo had used and discarded his last servant, like a child would do to a broken doll. "You should've waited until this one decayed before you put up the barrier," Moryo's demonic voice resounded. It had been a trap. It had all been a trap! Yomi had spoken the truth. They had truly been two halves of the same power. And Shion had come here like an idiot, and had given Moryo his power back! Desperately, she tried to get out of the barrier, but she couldn't. Moryo was in control of it now.

The seal was crumbling, and the doors to the realm of death were opening: the Pure Land, a place so alluring, yet completely inaccessible to the living souls of the mortal humans. Only upon death could anyone enter this realm, where the laws of the mortal world did not apply. This was where Moryo had been imprisoned, seemingly for an eternity. However, with the power of the priestess, he could now escape. The eons of powerlessness had ended, and he could finally wreak havoc upon the world.

"Once the barrier is up, we cannot get out. Yes… until one consumes the other," Moryo said darkly. The black smoke rising from the gates was yet shapeless, but Shion felt the power. "And that is decided by each other's chakra. And my lowly servant was stronger than you were," Moryo began to laugh while Shion despaired. "Now you shall return it, my flesh and body. You have my thanks. That servant no longer had the power to break the seal on the shrine without you." The black smoke suddenly retracted, and the doors of the shrine closed. The glow of the seal dimmed, and eventually vanished, as did the barrier which had held her imprisoned.

"Shion!" Genkuro rushed forward, helping the priestess to get up. "What happened, did you defeat him?" he had no idea what had just transpired. Then again, he hadn't heard Moryo speak, not while he was stuck on the other side of the barrier.

"What have I done," she grimaced, tears rolling over her cheeks. "What was the purpose of all these years? Of all this death? Everyone… why did you all sacrifice yourself for me?"

"Have you done it? Is it completely sealed?"

"I didn't deserve everyone's protection…"

The earth trembled, and all of a sudden, tentacles of dark chakra erupted through the ground of the shrine. It threw Genkuro back, but Shion was left in the middle of it all. The ground under her feet crumbled, and she fell into the darkness, into the world between worlds. Only the light of her mother's bell protected her from Moryo's evil darkness. The light held him at bay, but would soon run out.

Was this the end of the world?

A dragon-like head broke out of the shrine, with a dark tentacle lunging at Genkuro. He had no clue what it was, as the thing was too cold for Genkuro to sense. It was devoid of warmth. A cold, black, evil chakra. Genkuro could but shout out her name, but Shion didn't respond, at least not visibly to him. To her, his voice brought courage: courage to wake up, to realize that she was still alive, at least while the barrier lasted; courage, to see the memories of her mother, of her teachings, of when she gave Shion the bell, and her advices. It brought the memories of how Moryo had tried to capture her before, and how Miroku had saved her; of how Shion had been saved again, from her own uncontrollably great power, at the cost of her mother's life. But with her mother's guidance, Shion found power, her own power. She had the power to keep resisting Moryo, to prevent him from becoming complete, but not the power to best him. Moryo was too strong.

While Shion bathed in the final memories of her mother, in emotions of love and tenderness, Genkuro was fighting a hopeless battle. More and more of Moryo's apparitions broke from the shrine; the dragon-like tentacles of dark chakra surrounded him. No matter how hard he hit them, they just scattered and reformed. Every hit he made was pointless.

But as long as Moryo was still incomplete, Genkuro retained a chance, as small as it may be, to fight the demon. However, he was getting rather annoyed by the countless tentacles that kept surrounding him, striking from each direction. Yet, mighty as Moryo was, the demon had no understanding of what Genkuro was. Genkuro might not have had much of a situational understanding, being accustomed to brutally overpowering every foe he had met, but Genkuro did have one huge advantage. As the cold tentacles threw him into the magma, Genkuro felt his body burn.

For the first time in his existence, something actually burned Genkuro. It wasn't exactly a pleasant experience. However, it was an unparalleled source of warmth at the same time. Genkuro had but to open his senses and enormous amounts of energy flooded him. Plenty of energy, enough to easily compensate the energy he lost with his little ninshu-stunt. Rising from the glowing magma, Genkuro couldn't help but smirk. With these quantities of warmth, victory would not be as impossible as Shion had thought it to be. Restoring the burned tissue of his skin was easily done, although it did make Genkuro rather vindictive.

"Shichu! (Pillar)" Genkuro used the technique he learned at the fire temple. This specific technique was meant as nothing more but a simple training exercise, with the aim of having student learn how to shape solid objects with their chakra. But for Genkuro, things rarely remained 'simple'. In this case, with the amount of warmth he had at his proposal, this simple technique evolved into something drastically different. Rather than one chakra-created pillar, or in Genkuro's case a construct of solid fire, he now summoned dozens. These dozens of pillars rained down on the Moryo's tentacles, alerting the demon that its enemy had not been beaten just yet.

"Stubborn mortal…" The voice came from all directions, speaking from all the dragonheads upon the demon's tentacles. "I threw you into the heart of the mountain. Why didn't you perish?"

"I did that quite some time ago," Genkuro grunted. "And it wasn't exactly a fun experience. Now, could you please bugger off?"

"You insolent little pest!"

Genkuro had to give Moryo credit for trying, but the cold tentacles still couldn't stop him. Even though the demon wounded him, Genkuro just battered his way through. Plunging himself into the origin of all this darkness, the shrine itself, Genkuro dragged out the faint source of warmth he had felt just now. Shion. The frightened priestess couldn't believe it when she saw him reach out for her, but gladly accepted his help. Moryo's darkness might be strong, but Genkuro was a being of fire. He held an inherent advantage over the demon, which was only amplified by the location they were in. The inside of a volcano turned out to be a place where Genkuro thrived, strengthening him to the degree where he could resist the shadows and step out of it alive and unharmed.

"NO!" Moryo realized too late that Genkuro wasn't just your average mortal human being. It needed to absorb Shion in order to become complete again. Her body would hail the return of the divine ruler of the Thousand-Year Kingdom. Instead, Genkuro had stolen her away.

Walls of magma rose at Genkuro's command, to shield the tired priestess from Moryo. The matter was practically pure warmth, so he could command it through his eyes. His hair ignited, and he tore off the singed remains of his haori. He still wore his white pants, though. Genkuro hadn't forgotten his first awkward lessons on love – being dressed. But to Shion, he didn't look like any less than a deity who had stepped out of the underworld to rescue her. Hot. That was literally and figuratively the only word she could think of.

That thought was a lot more flattering than the exclamation "Die!" that came from the dark demon Moryo. With the shout, it sent out all its tentacles, assaulting Genkuro from every direction at once, with an enraged speed that surprised the blazing young man. So powerful was the onslaught that even Genkuro was forced to his knees. In spite of all the surrounding warmth he had at his disposal, this demon was a foe unlike anyone or anything that Genkuro had ever faced before.

But no matter how much damage Moryo caused, no matter how much stronger the demon was, Genkuro always stood up. Again and again, Genkuro repaired his damaged body. Being an avatar of his own creation, Genkuro could simply reshape himself as long as he had the energy to do so. And within this volcano, there was a nigh unlimited supply of the latter. Genkuro transcended the powers of any other human Moryo had ever faced. He did feel the pain, but couldn't be worn down, not here.

Perhaps only the most legendary shinobi in history would have stood a chance against him in this place, but even they would have been worn down eventually- unless they could find a way to stop a volcano from generating warmth, thus stopping Genkuro from regenerating his power. But that would require a power beyond that of that of Moryo, at least as long as he didn't possess Shion.

No, what Moryo was fighting was the power of a bijuu. It was an unformed fledgling, an incomplete and meager shadow of its former self, but it was the returned incarnation of the Kyuubi no Yoko which formed the core of Genkuro's immense power, the catalyst of his rebirth and growth. Genkuro's fires banished the shadows which Moryo cast, one by one. Attack after attack, the demon grew more and more frustrated. As long as it remained unable to remove Genkuro, it also couldn't get to Shion. At the same time, it realized that it could not best Genkuro without Shion's power. It had torn out his intestines, only to see them retract into his body. It had blown holes through his chest, only to see them close within seconds. It had torn off limbs, only to see new ones shape themselves out of his undying flames.

Moryo grew desperate. It was an emotion it had never expected to feel at this stage of the game. Desperation drove it to cast aside its pride. Because it knew one secret… when Genkuro dived into the shrine, extracting Shion, he had moved through Moryo's dark energy, through the demon's body. When he did, Moryo had felt a weakness, an incompleteness, within its opponent.

"It shames me to admit it, but in power I cannot best you this way," Moryo hissed. "But where strength fails, cunning shall bring victory."

Annoyed, Genkuro looked up at the first opponent which ever pushed back, despite fighting to his utmost limits, beyond his limits even. Genkuro knew that without the volcano, defeat would only have been a matter of time. But with it, even though the demon was superior in strength, Genkuro could succeed. At least, he thought the demon would eventually start to wear down a little, so that Genkuro would finally get some time to shape his warmth into the offensive techniques he had learned. But what ace did Moryo have?

Dark laughter filled the hall, one which made even Shion shiver in fear, despite being separated and protected by the barrier of fire which Genkuro had erected to keep her out of Moryo's clutches. "Awaken, Uzumaki Naruto," the sheer malice dripped from Moryo's voice, and his words made Genkuro freeze. "Rise from your slumber, Uzumaki Naruto, and claim your inheritance on this mortal soil."

However, Genkuro was not granted the time to process those words or what they could possibly mean. The pain had already started, immense, immeasurable suffering. He felt his mind being torn apart, as if his hall of mirrors was set ablaze. Something cold, like the fingers of the Shinigami itself, froze his inner world, expanded it, contorted it. Shards assembled, mirrors rose, and within the coldness Genkuro felt his world shift, because something new entered. It was something tiny and fragile, something damaged: the frightened boy whom he once had been, who he now, once again, was. He, the window, had failed. Yet in his failure, he had unknowingly found a way to succeed in the task that he was imbued with upon birth.

Uzumaki Naruto.

* * *

_"Shit… shit, I can't escape," Naruto frantically tried to pull his leg out of the sand's grasp. But it was futile. Nothing he could do would give him a chance to escape. 'Is this the way I die? Dammit, I can't die! I can't fail Sasuke, or Sakura-chan. I can't die here, not now, and definitely not at his hands! I am going to be the next Hokage! Kyuubi!'_

_Sand wrapped itself around Naruto, and though he tried, Naruto could not even form hand seals due to the sand's grasp. "This is the end, Kyuubi," _he heard the Ichibi howl. _"This time I win! Sabaku Kyu!"_

_As the sand tightened, Naruto begged the Kyuubi inside him for power. But he got no answer to his call, neither in chakra nor in word. There was no hope, no future: only pain- the blinding pain of his body being torn asunder._

There was the pain of his soul entering the afterlife, yet being cast back. Unable to live, unable to die, Uzumaki Naruto resided in a timeless world where he did not belong. He panicked at first, too freaked out to think things through, to realize he had died. Or had he not, he wondered. If he had died, would he have ended up in this empty world? In this world he could only find one thing, a thing which he came to call his window. This window was something through which Naruto experienced the world of the living, a window with a consciousness of its own, yet Naruto saw everything it did, smelt it, _felt_ it. It was an echo of him, yet unaffected by his will. It was feeding upon the energy of the world, and because of that it did things… things which Uzumaki Naruto would never have done, never wanted to do.

"What the hell?! Where am I?" His voice bellowed through the empty void in which he was now trapped. He was nowhere, a spectator, powerlessly drifting in the void between life and death.

* * *

_Author's notes_:

* * *

Oh, hello Naruto-kun! I wonder how many people expected to see you here. And no, I haven't gone insane. At least, the men in white suits haven't found me yet, so I'm not officially bonkers yet! (Emphasis on the 'yet'.)

What did Moryo do to Genkuro? How does Naruto fit in this picture? Or should I say 'mirror'? Could this be why Shion kept dreaming about Naruto's death? I did create a rather weird situation, didn't I? Then again, this story seems to specialize in weirdness. And trust me… the shit has yet to hit the fan. Perhaps I should warn you that I might possibly go all out in the next chapter, and therefore had to split up what I wrote into two chapters? The amount of weirdness is definitely increasing. *smiles sweetly at audience*

Credits: I thank all of you who've ever taken the time to read and review, and those who have yet to do so! I thank **ensou** for all her help. And last but not least, I thank my long-time partner-in-crime, the master-linguist **Illuminated**.

Also, I recently started a new fic called '**Asunder**'. This story uses some ideas I had back when I started Pareidolia, but which didn't fit in the story. So I guess (and hope) Asunder will be enjoyable to you if you like this story. Anyway: more views, follows, favs, and reviews are always welcome!

* * *

-Z-

* * *

**Some additional information:**

"Pure Land" is the dominant from of Buddhism in Japan. One of the central teachings of Pure Land Buddhism is that nirvana is nigh-impossible to attain. Instead, one should focus on devotion to Amitabha Buddha, which will gain one enough karmic merit to go to the Pure Land, which is something akin to a Heaven or Paradise. This Pure Land is not an eternal destination, but a pleasant place in which all karma disappears and nirvana is simple to attain. As the manga Naruto is written within the context of this religion, I decided to do that as well, not out of my own religious beliefs, but rather in order to stick as close as possible to the source material. In this case, I saw the 'Pure Land' as the perfect prison for Moryo, who is pretty much its antithesis. The demon would be trapped until reaching enlightenment, for which it would be too evil unless it had a serious change of heart.

Fun fact: the important Japanese monk who was a religious reformer and founder of the first independent branch of Japanese Pure Land Buddhism was named Honen.


	20. Crossing the Rubicon

**Pareidolia**

* * *

**Chapter nineteen**

**Crossing the Rubicon**

* * *

_"I am free, no matter what rules surround me. If I find them tolerable, I tolerate them; if I find them too obnoxious, I break them. I am free because I know that I alone am morally responsible for everything I do."_

— Robert A. Heinlein

* * *

Death. Naruto had died. Gaara killed him. Although Gaara could hardly be blamed at this point, considering that his mind had been corrupted by the Ichibi. Did that demon kill him, or was the Kyuubi the one who was responsible for his death? Naruto didn't know. All he knew is that his agony had ended when he entered this empty realm. There was no light or darkness, no warmth or cold, nothing. It was a complete and utter void. All that he had in this realm of nothingness was a window.

Well, it wasn't really a window in the literal sense of the word. There was no glass, window frames, or anything. No, it was… well, an opening was perhaps the only alternative which could be found to describe it: a rift through the 'verses. It was a way for Naruto to experience things that transpired in the world of the living, even though he was somewhere that wasn't in that same world- hence the name, window.

Although, 'window' would indicate that it was just Naruto passively staring into the world… which wasn't true either. No, the window was a somewhat sentient being, driven by a hunger to consume energy until it reached a point where it would form a body and reform its true self – the being's one and only purpose. Uzumaki Naruto experienced everything that the entity that formed his window did. He saw, smelt, and felt the being spreading fires which carelessly laid waste to entire regions at a time, draining them of all chakra. He experienced how the window incinerated people, who were nothing but food for the entity. The entity eventually took the shape of a young boy, although its physical manifestation was unstable at first. But, it needed that physical form. All life contained chakra, and the window extracted that for its own growth. It didn't discriminate between trees or animals, flowers or humans… it just burned everything down until it could extract the chakra, and absorbed that. Having a body just made things far more efficient.

While Uzumaki Naruto experienced what his mirror experienced, he was at the same time powerless to influence it. Only when he saw a familiar face, did Naruto get a chance. Subconsciously, and out of desperation, Naruto urged the window to stop.

It was a seemingly futile effort, which drained Naruto of what little energy he had left in this void. However, it was just enough to get the message across. It caused the window to hesitate, as it was not sure what it felt. That little push had been all that Naruto could do. It had left his ethereal being exhausted, barren of the last shreds of chakra he had taken with him to this otherworldly realm. Even though the girl had been one of the last enemies that Naruto had seen, he did not wish her to suffer- especially not in the fragile state she was in.

After a while, as far as he could tell about the passing of time in this void, Naruto woke up from his exhaustion. The window had saved the girl, Temari of Sunagakure. It had taken her along, or she him, as Naruto had no knowledge of what had transpired while he was knocked out, and the girl and Naruto's window travelled towards somewhere secure, someplace where the girl wouldn't be hunted, where she could teach the window what life was about. Naruto could sense the changes in his window, how it had become interested in the blonde human, even if it didn't know why. Naruto could even feel the emotions it felt. Yet, enemy or not, Naruto was proud that he could at least rescue one person. It made his efforts feel worthwhile, even after he discovered that gathering new chakra wasn't possible for him- not on this side of the window, at least.

Time passed and the window kept feeding on the warmth of the living world. But after Naruto's intervention, it at least knew how to discriminate between Temari and everything else. It didn't understand why, but it was a first step toward humanity, and Naruto prayed that it would be enough. He was frightened of what the window, this mirror, could do, indiscriminately destroying and consuming. The empty entity, this blank slate, began to access the broken reservoirs of memories. There were the memories of Naruto himself, but also from those Naruto didn't even know. Still, those other halls of mirrors felt oddly familiar to Naruto, like they belonged to family he had never known.

Powerlessly, Uzumaki Naruto witnessed how his window grew. He saw how an oblivious jonin from Kusagakure and her genin team tried to apprehend the window, making the fatal mistake of endangering Temari, the only being whom the window cared about. He saw how Temari gave the window a name, Genkuro, and how it kept defending her. Naruto was surprised by the tenderness of this girl, whom he remembered to be the elder sister of Gaara, who had been rather vicious during the Chunin Exams.

But that Temari had been gone, nearly destroyed by the aftermath of the invasion. She had changed significantly and truly seemed to care about 'Genkuro'. He watched as Genkuro slowly learned to care about her, as one human for the other. His affections bled through to Naruto, who stood at the other side. Naruto witnessed how she tried to teach Genkuro speech, often leading Naruto to laughter, or tried to explain to him how regular humans ate their food. The thought of food made Naruto drool, even in this otherworldly place.

"Ramen… What I would give to visit Ichiraku's!"

Slowly but surely, Naruto watched Genkuro change from a 'thing' to a person. He was a being with a will of its own, with emotions, derived from the many mirrors it/him accessed over time, and desires. In addition, due to it/him being Naruto's window, Genkuro took on much of his characteristics as well. And yet… when four idiots attacked Genkuro and Temari, and Genkuro had thought the latter was in danger, he did things which Naruto would never have capable of. Naruto knew that Genkuro wasn't evil. Even though he wasn't good, Naruto couldn't call him evil. He was just ignorant, uncaring about any distinction that other humans made, and in a strange way, Naruto learned a lot from it. He had to agree that through Genkuro's eyes, the way humanity perceived the world was rather bizarre- the idiocy of the shinobi system.

In this broken world, Genkuro grew more and more humane. A 'he' rather than an 'it'. This became obvious when he spared the girl that felt so much like Temari, the foul-mouthed girl who radiated the same sort of desperation, the same indifference towards her own death. Genkuro liberated her from Orochimaru's cursed bonds. Watching through his mirror's eyes, Naruto understood why. Tayuya had been a victim, just as much as Temari was. It made Naruto consider what it meant to be a shinobi. Haku had said that they were merely tools, and Naruto had refused that notion. But how many others were there, who had suffered like these two girls? It disgusted him that people believed in this malfunctioning system. Then again, those that kept it in place were also the people who profited from it. They profited from growing children as soldiers, from a militaristic society that demanded absolute loyalty. He began to harbor doubts about so many things that he had viewed as normal, which were ingrained in him ever since he learned to speak. All the things he was taught by the academy, by Kakashi, and even by Sakura, they now seemed lies. He needed to rethink everything.

After all, what could Naruto do but think? For the first time in his life, or death in this case, he figured, Naruto had no other option than to remain calm and think things through. Usually, his hyperactivity just made him rush on and on without taking the time to think, but in this empty realm between life and death, he had nowhere to go.

'_I can't do a damn thing. I always said I'd become Hokage. Just like Jiisan. But now that I'm trapped in this nothingness, forced to watch how the world moves on without me, now I am beginning to understand how the world works. What kind of naïve fool I've been…'_ Naruto wished that he knew what was going on, but he never really did. '_I always ended up relying on Kakashi-sensei or Sakura-chan to explain everything to me… Sakura-chan… would she and Sasuke have made it out in time?'_

Not for the first time, Naruto wished he could control his window. But he had blown the one shot he had. Genkuro was the one who controlled this body, and formed the frame through which Naruto could peek into the world of the living, independently from Naruto. The more human it got, the further it strayed from its original purpose.

Naruto had thought he had gone crazy when waking up in this void at first, had finally been driven insane, something most people had already said he was. He also considered that it could have been some cruel trickery from the Kyuubi. But Naruto knew the inevitable truth: he was dead. Still… if he had died, why weren't his parents here? The young orphan had always hoped he'd see his parents again, when he would die. It was not that he had desired to die, but the knowledge that he'd finally get to see his parents was something that comforted him, even in his worst moments.

It gave him hope when he thought none was left for him.

* * *

He didn't know how long he had been lost in thought, but when Naruto looked at the 'window' again, he saw Genkuro fighting against the freakiest shinobi Naruto had ever seen: Kimimaro of the Kaguya clan, who had the ability to grow and manipulate bones. He was a fearsome enemy, one who even pushed an entity as powerful as Genkuro. But in the end, all that the Kaguya managed to do was make Genkuro grow stronger. Every time that Naruto saw his window grow, he noticed another symbol appear. It was some sort of weird nine, or six, Naruto couldn't tell what it was, but they were along the border of his mirror.

A great many things transpired as time passed by. Naruto witnessed his mirror living among the monks of the Fire Temple, saw him train and grow, even though Genkuro could not perform ninjutsu. And every time Genkuro would go to sleep, Naruto had to blush at the sight of how casually Temari and Tayuya slept with him. Naruto felt the physical contact just like Genkuro did, but unlike his window Naruto did feel the things a normal teenage boy was supposed to feel when sleeping with two girls like them. Not that they did anything perverted, as they seemed to be reluctant to exploit Genkuro's ignorance, but Naruto saw enough that the girls… well, Naruto really wished Sakura had ever looked at him like that.

'_Not that Sakura-chan would ever do that. She only has eyes for Sasuke,'_ Naruto sighed. '_Then again, I knew that already. I wonder why I kept being so stubborn about it. I guess it's another thing on my list of stupid decisions I made without thinking properly. I do hope she and Sasuke got away… that at least would make my death or whatever this is more tolerable.'_

Seeing someone familiar, however, cheered Naruto up. Jiraiya seemed to know who Genkuro really was, and had sought him out because of it. It was something that gave Naruto a sliver of hope. Maybe, just _maybe_, the old perv could find a way to free him? Sadly, Naruto's optimism was short-lived. Naruto was but a spectator, helpless and filled with despair, as he watched how Genkuro killed Neji. His grief only deepened when Tenten perished alongside, and then the biggest shock of all announced itself: Hyuga Hinata. The poor girl had been taken over by Orochimaru, all because she had loved Naruto. The bewhiskered spectre couldn't believe it, even if he saw it all happen through Genkuro's eyes, but it was true: she had loved him. The silent girl, whom Naruto had thought to be 'weird' because she always stuttered and blushed around him, had cherished him so deeply that his death had broken her heart. The broken girl had been cast away by her very own family, and the new Hokage. Naruto shouted and screamed, but he was powerless behind this window- just like Genkuro had been powerless to rescue the poor girl from her unavoidable fate…

The added shock that came from learning that Sasuke and Sakura had been unable to get away from the Ichibi's onslaught made things only worse. "My failure killed so many… Why couldn't I just die?" Naruto exclaimed. But the place remained silent, like it always was in this void. "Why couldn't I just die, instead of having to experience this? Why? WHY!?"

The Uzumaki broke down in tears, and for a while he lost all interest in the world of the living. He was too depressed, had seen too much death, for his heart and mind to be able to cope with it, and wandered off into the nothingness, hoping to find some way to free himself from this torment. He didn't want to be near the window anymore, he didn't want to feel more of that pain. He couldn't. So he walked off into the nothingness, moving on for days, weeks, perhaps even decades… or had it been mere minutes or seconds? It mattered little. In the end, Naruto had simply arrived at the same place again, seeing the window which had brought him down to this despair.

Whether he wanted to or not, Naruto felt the influx of information and experiences which his window, Genkuro, had gained in the time Naruto hadn't paid attention. He found some satisfaction in how Genkuro had made Orochimaru suffer for the horrors he had committed. The man's death, being condemned to leave the realm of the living stripped of all his precious knowledge, was deviously smart. Normally, Naruto wasn't this vindictive, but for what Orochimaru had done to Hinata… Knowing the incomprehensible pain of broken memories, Naruto agreed with Genkuro that this was the most fitting way to torment the snake. Although, Naruto did feel some envy when he noticed that Genkuro had let the remains of the man's soul pass on to the realm of the dead, wishing he too could go to that place and end his suffering in this void.

Exacting vengeance wasn't the only thing Genkuro had been up to, though… Naruto felt his jaw drop when he relived the night that Genkuro had spent with Temari. It left him stunned to a degree that he barely noticed the battles against Guren, Hidan, and Kakuzu. Naruto was just too flabbergasted to pay attention like he should be doing. For every kiss that Genkuro had gotten, Naruto had felt like it had been his own lips. All the desires which Genkuro felt had flown through the window.

To someone who was never really loved by anyone except an old Hokage and the two keepers of his favorite ramen stand, Temari was a miracle to Naruto. He was deeply embarrassed, even if there was no one who would notice him in here; in an odd way, Naruto had to admit to himself that he was envious of Genkuro. After all, where were the borders between Genkuro and Naruto? What was the difference between them? Was Genkuro part of Naruto, or was Genkuro a separate person? Naruto didn't know.

What he did know, however, was that he too had fallen for Temari, and confusingly, he had come to feel the same about Tayuya. Naruto's ideas of love had been barely less skewed than Genkuro's, and with the way that he (through Genkuro) could see sense emotions…. Naruto knew it was a tad weird, in the sense that it deviated from what was considered as 'normal', but he had come to agree with Genkuro: why would love be a matter that was limited to only two?

Though, never in his wildest dreams had Naruto ever expected… well, _that_ morning. Naruto was someone who strived to be acknowledged, to have people notice him as a human being. These girls, even if they didn't know it, granted him something much, much, much greater: love, both the emotional and physical aspects of it. Before his death, Naruto had never thought about the possibility that he would one day have sex, as he was the outcast that most people didn't even want to look at, and yet here he was. He was experiencing it just like Genkuro experienced it: feeling, touching, kissing… even erupting the same way as his 'outside body'.

But… if Genkuro wasn't part of Naruto, then wouldn't this be wrong? Temari and Tayuya would then be loving someone else, and not Naruto. It made him a bit uncomfortable that he was looking at the scene in such an intimate manner, when he didn't even know if he had the right to experience it. Despite this he did, and enjoyed every second of it. It made Naruto wonder about how he would return, how he could return. The key in the matter seemed to be those strange halls… the more Genkuro succeeded in restoring the mirrors, the better Naruto experienced the 'outside' world. It was as if the distance between this void and the world of the living had reduced.

"If it depends on the mirrors which haven't been restored yet… perhaps I could return if all the mirrors are whole again? Naruto mumbled. "Perhaps if all those mirrors are repaired, I can resume control of my body?"

Lost in thoughts of hope and fear, and most of all about love, Naruto barely noticed the time pass. In this empty realm, he had stopped paying attention to his surroundings on this side of the window anyway – there was nothing to see. But somewhere along the line something had changed. At first it had been a shapeless blob, but the further Genkuro had grown, the more the 'blob' had developed into the being it had once been.

"If those mirrors are restored, you would break out of here. Wouldn't that be great?" the partially-formed Kyuubi startled Naruto. Compared to the last time Naruto had seen it, the bijuu had gotten rather tiny. However, the Kyuubi was still towering over any human. "Resurrection is a pain in the ass, isn't it? It even got me stuck in here with a lowly human like you…"

"Kyuubi… you… how?"

"The old man sent us back."

"Old man?"

"The closest thing my kin has to a father," Kurama sighed. "The human who created me and my brethren, the ones your kind refers to as 'bijuu'. You might know him as the Sage of the Six Paths."

"…"

"It seems you are still not cured of your inherent stupidity," Kurama groaned. "Otsutsuki Hagoromo, the one whom the humans hailed as the savior of the world, was the one who invented ninshu."

"Oh, I know about ninshu!" Naruto jumped up. "Genkuro found it in one of the halls, it was the thing the existed before ninjutsu, right? But what does that have to do with that Ridiculous Sennin or whatever you just said?"

"Ri-ku-do Sennin, you ignorant meatbag!"

"Rikudo Shmikudo…" Naruto shrugged. "What does it have to do with that Komodo guy?"

"I wish I could just squash you like the insect you are, but that would only cause more problems. And I already have an overabundance of those," Kurama growled. "Otsutsuki Hagoromo is the same person as the Sage, you dimwit. He is my creator, my father, as well as the predecessor of all you puny shinobi."

"Wow."

"Yes, _wow_, you illiterate brat," Kurama retorted sarcastically. "So why don't you tell that vessel of yours to hurry the hell up with restoring your memories, so that your tiny soul can transfer back to the world of the living."

"I can't. I can't make him do anything, I don't have any chakra."

"When you came here, you had some, right?"

"Yeah," Naruto nodded, not knowing what the fox wanted.

"And you wasted it?"

"He was about to kill Temari-chan!"

With a thunderous clap, Kurama smashed his own head into the ground. Or… well, whatever the ground was in this empty realm. "You screwed up our chances at revival, all for a girl?"

"How was I supposed to know I couldn't gather more chakra?"

"You're dead, you ignorant dolt!" The fox exclaimed with no small amount of frustration. "How on earth were you expecting you'd be able to gather more chakra? You don't have access to any of your physical energy, except for what little that lingered after your death. So how were you thinking you'd be able to create more chakra?! Dammit, why does my fate have to be bound to a complete and utter idiot like you?"

"Because you were the one who let us die?" Naruto only now remembered that particular fact. He had never been the sharpest shuriken in the pouch, but forgetting the cause of his own death… If it wasn't a matter Kurama felt somewhat guilty about, he would have made fun of the scatter-brained Uzumaki.

"Err, yes, but that-"

"Well then, don't start yapping at me, you're the one who created this damn mess! All I needed was some more chakra, so that I could whoop Gaara's ass and slap some sense in him," Naruto retaliated. "You abandoned me, Kyuubi. You let me die. YOU are the one who caused this. Don't you dare blame me!"

The fox stayed silent for a while, and then it sighed. "You are correct. The old man chewed me out on it as well. I shouldn't have snapped at you like that." Naruto huffed, but didn't look as angry as before. "But don't call me Kyuubi," Kurama grumbled. "If we're stuck in this together, I might as well tell you my name. It would be annoying to be referred to by the insulting label which the humans use to refer to me."

"Name? You mean like the Ichibi, who was also called Shukaku?"

"Yeah, although that dumb raccoon isn't worthy of having a name," Kurama scoffed.

"And you?" Naruto blinked up at the fox.

"…Kurama," Kurama had to struggle to get the word out of his mouth. '_Why am I telling my name to this rotten mongrel? Because the old man scolded my furry ass? Or because I'm completely depending on the brat for my rebirth?'_

"Okay. Kurama, I am Uzumaki Naruto," the boy bowed politely, showing his good manners to the very creature that caused his death.

"As if I didn't know that already…" Kurama hesitated, not knowing if the boy was serious or just mocking him.

"Oi, don't make fun of me, dammit! I'm just trying to be polite. Isn't this whole thing like some sort of weird second chance?"

"Make that 'third chance', considering how you already blew the second one by saving that female you want to mate with," Kurama smirked when he saw Naruto getting the same bright red-orange color as his own fur. "Don't look at me. I just regained my senses when you were mating with that Red haired vixen of yours. Shouldn't you feel ashamed? I thought humans were monogamous."

"W… W-well Tayuya-chan is special," Naruto stuttered. "Our souls are linked, somehow, because of what Genkuro did. So I can… you know, _feel_ her."

"Feel her? Her soul?" Kurama raised a brow. "You must be the worst kind of pervert I've met in all the centuries I've roamed the earth."

"It's not like that!" the boy blushed even more. "W-well… it partly is, b-but that isn't… I'm… she's worse than I could ever be!"

"That's for sure. That vixen surely seemed to be dying to get a nest of kits from you," Kurama chuckled. "But let's get back to the important point. I need you if I want to return to the world of the living, and you need me because you're only a blundering fool if you don't have any guidance."

"I'm not that bad," Naruto pouted. "Temari-chan taught me a lot, and the monks did a lot for me as well. Even Tayuya-chan helped me, although most of what she taught me was profanity."

"Does any of it tell you how to return from this shithole?"

"No…"

"Then shut up and listen," Kurama grumbled.

"Wait, why do you need me? I once read somewhere that bijuu could reform by themselves."

"Because that bastard of a father of yours split me in two…"

"Split you in… wait, my dad?!"

"Yes, that bloody Yondaime Hokage, Namikaze Minato, was your father. And your mother was Uzumaki Kushina, his wife and the one who was my jail before you."

"My mom was a jinchuriki?" Naruto blinked. "My dad was the Yondaime? _The_ Yondaime?"

"Yes and yes," Kurama sighed. "Stick with the point, you distractible little brat. As I said earlier, you need that guy that controls our new body to get around to restoring your memories if you want to return."

"Genkuro? But who is he? Is he me?"

"Sort of," Kurama grimaced. "From what I think, he was never meant to get a personality of his own. His job was just to gather enough chakra, from whatever source he could get it from, so that he could create a body and restore your mind. But your little intervention combined with that girl's attention made him grow a personality of his own. Unfortunately for us, that personality is mostly based on yours, as you are the reason it was even created in the first place, but there are differences."

"Differences? How come?"

"Well, you seemed to be connected to other souls. Older souls. And that Genkuro found some of their souls too, adding to the deviations between him and you. For instance, the ease at which he kills."

"What would happen to him if I get back?"

"Good question," Kurama shrugged. "I don't know. I assume that he would be integrated into you. Don't look at me like I'm crazy," the fox sighed. "Genkuro is a part of you. He doesn't have a 'soul', so to speak. He is a small part of you, the part which the old man sent into the world of the living in order to get the rest of you back. So if you return, he'd be a goner. Although the way he has developed himself since rebirth makes him a unique case, I guess. That is why I said that I don't know for sure. Perhaps he'll just linger around. Schizophrenia is what that is called, if I remember it correctly. But if things go as I suspect they will, the separate entity known as 'Genkuro' will dissolve as his power and memories pass on to you."

"Schnitzel… what?!"

"Schizophrenia. Multiple personality disorder. For the sake of all that is holy, read some books, you unschooled worm!"

"Why should I, when I have you to back me up?"

"Don't act all friendly with me, meatbag. Ugh, from what I gathered from my brothers and sisters, resurrection was just a tedious and slow process. But the fact that I am just half implies that I don't have both yin and yang energies, thus rendering me incapable of returning to the world of the living the normal way, and leaving me unable to die as well."

"Well, that sucks."

"Big time," Kurama agreed with the boy. "That's why I need you, as much as it pains me to admit. Your chakra would fuel the other half of the process."

"But… how did Genkuro return? And why didn't I die? Or did I?"

"The seal that kept me imprisoned in you was the result of a contract with the shinigami itself. Those binds transcend the limitations of life and death, and as such you were tied to me, even in death. Or so I understood from the old man," Kurama sighed. "It's a pain in the ass, but it boils down to the fact that you were unable to die because I can't die. Me and my brethren aren't mortal, after all. As for what created Genkuro… I think the old man did it."

"Didn't the Rikudo Sennin die ages ago? I mean, if he was the one who created ninshu, which predates ninjutsu, and created you guys as well, and you guys are…"

"He is dead," Kurama nodded, halting Naruto in the middle of his ranting. "Yet at the same time he isn't. He is… well, he is in between the realms of life and death, let's keep it at that. That is where I met him. That was how he was able to help him. As for how he managed to help: I do not know. He always made the impossible possible, so I usually just don't think too much about it."

"Okay… repair mirrors, gather chakra, revive you," Naruto summarized. "So Genkuro is so stupidly strong because he has both our energies?"

"Physical yes, but not the spiritual energy. Why do you think that idiot is unable to perform even the most basic ninjutsu? Anything that requires hand seals is impossible for him. For you too, when you return, by the way."

"Me too?!"

"That guy created a body while not knowing how to properly create a chakra pathway system," Kurama chuckled. "He screwed you over, brat."

"Not funny, Kurama… Not funny."

"You were the one who caused him to think, rather than follow the basic instincts that would've led him to quickly reviving you," Kurama smirked at the annoyed Uzumaki. "But it seems to be time."

"Time?"

"Yes, you should learn to pay attention to multiple things at once. If you did, you'd see that cowardly sham of a demon is trying to defeat Genkuro by restoring your hall of memories."

"Someone is helping us?" Naruto wondered. Although the instant he said that, dark tentacles entered their separate space and latched onto him.

"I didn't say that it was help," Kurama sarcastically waved the startled boy goodbye. "He's doing it to kill you. Have fun."

* * *

There was pain, an immense, immeasurable suffering. He felt his mind being torn apart, as if his hall of mirrors was suddenly relocated. Something cold, like the fingers of the Shinigami itself, froze his inner world, expanded it, contorted it. It twisted until something new entered: something tiny, something damaged. It was a frightened boy, a boy that came to replace him. _'A boy that is… me? I merged with myself? He… I…'_ He didn't have any idea where one ended and the other began.

"What the hell, Kurama…" Naruto groaned in a pain that numbed him. "Acting all friendly and then you're happy some kind of asshole is trying to kill me?"

"I told you, cunning shall bring victory."

"Woah, what the heck are you?" Naruto blinked in confusion. He was surrounded by dark dragon-headed tentacles, created by a cold and unnatural chakra which was nearly invisible to his… "These eyes really _are _crazy," the returned Uzumaki mumbled. He jumped back, but miscalculated the strength he put into it. He still had the lingering memories of his old body, but this new one was incomparable in terms of strength.

Two more attempts, and another dodge, and Naruto reached the girl he had seen earlier. "Yo, you're Shion, right?" He tried to do what he had experienced many times through Genkuro: creating a barrier of fire. He succeeded, although it was a bit shoddy.

"What happened to you?" the priestess blinked, surprised by his sudden change in behavior. "Your face!"

"My face? Oh, I got my whiskers back? Cool! Oh, right, focus. Yeah, I got revived. Sorta. I'm Uzumaki Naruto!" he smiled. "I'm a bit confused, I do have Genkuro's memories but I wasn't really paying attention lately," Naruto rambled while scratching the back of his head. His hair was still burning, but Naruto didn't even feel it. He was still mostly immune to anything heat-based, considering this body hadn't physically changed upon Naruto's return, other than the whisker marks.

"You are… Uzumaki Naruto?" Shion was shocked at the realization. "You can't be here! I have foreseen your death!"

"Oh, right, I kinda remember Genkuro picked up such a thing," Naruto frowned. "Ah well, it doesn't really matter. It doesn't seem as if I'm able to die anyway. So I'd rather focus on kicking that loud-mouthed, ugly teme back to where he came from."

"…"

"You can seal him, right?" Naruto blinked, not sure why the priestess was looking at him like that.

"I can."

"Good, then I'll kick his shady ass, while you seal him," Naruto smiled confidently, taking the priestess by her hand to help her on her feet. "And Genkuro… I, I should say me, I guess, was able to use warmth, so let's see if this works!"

Moryo had planned it all out, perfectly he thought. Revive the mortal soul of this pesky opponent, and destroy him. It sounded simple enough, what could go wrong? But seeing the counterattack that the human launched, Moryo realized that the scheme had backfired. The deviant human hadn't lost its power at all! On the contrary, it seemed to have gained a better control over its power!

Countless thin wires of fire erupted from Gen… from Naruto, as he charged towards the shrine. Moryo attempted to stop him, but even though he wounded the human, the demon couldn't slow him down by much. Most of the dragonesque appendages were cut off by Naruto's wires, although Naruto mainly focused on protecting Shion.

It wasn't just the demon, however, who felt confused. '_Seems like my return triggered another one of those seal thingies.'_ Naruto felt the sixth magatama manifest, the darn thing itched. '_Even though it is weird to do all this stuff by myself now, I at least have the memories of when I was Genkuro.'_

With a flick of the wrist, Naruto sent up large quantities of magma, forming a barrier behind them. With this, he wouldn't have to worry about the attacks Moryo would send from behind, making it easier to defend Shion. "Dang, it's lucky that I control that warmth through my eyes," he mumbled while restoring the fist he had just used. Moryo had targeted the appendage.

"Genku… Naruto, we should turn back," Shion muttered when they stood in front of the shrine. Naruto had created a vortex of fire that kept swirling to keep the demon at bay. "You'll die!"

"Neh, I've already done that, so don't sweat it. Just focus on the sealing, I'll take care of the rest!"

* * *

"Twenty-six!" Tayuya smirked after her summon tore another soldier of the Ghost Army apart. "I'm going to win that night with Genkuro!"

"This scythe has a weird design, but it is insanely durable and conducts chakra perfectly – if not for that it wouldn't have been very useful at killing these things," Temari held the weapon up. "But thirty three times did it decapitate a soldier, and it still doesn't have a scratch!"

"No fair!"

"That night is mine, Potty-mouth-chan."

"Not if I have anything to say about it!"

Tsunade was plowing through the lines of the army like a farmer through her corn, and Jiraiya and his ensemble of colossal toads wiped out the other half. Honen and Shizune watched while the two girls fought to take down the few stragglers that had managed to get past the two members of the Sannin. Even little Tonton shook its head in confusion.

"Are they really fighting in order to determine who can spend a night with Genkuro?" Honen muttered in disbelief. "I know they were shameless, but this…"

"Love makes people do crazy things," Shizune shrugged. "But at this rate, they'll both be snoring all night, regardless of which of them wins the bet."

With a chuckle, Honen nodded in agreement, although he still thought that they behaved indecently. Then again, Honen wasn't exactly the most flexible man in these matters.

* * *

Naruto began to wear out. Things weren't looking good, with Moryo more desperate than ever, forcing his way through Naruto's defenses. Naruto saw one of the tentacles breaking through, and lunging at the priestess. Shion was too busy with the sealing ritual to notice, which left Naruto with only one option.

The pain blinded him, and he felt the flesh being torn out of his body, yet somehow Naruto kept the fiery vortex intact while shielding the priestess at the same time. He was losing a lot of warmth through these wounds, though. Naruto knew that when Genkuro had grown stronger and stronger, he had reached a point where the soul had been attached to this body. This connection had only deepened as his power had increased. It had its downsides, most of all the pain, yet everything that was broken could be mended.

But mending the wounds required concentration, a concentration that weakened his defenses. In a split second decision, Naruto sent a torrent of flames to protect Shion, but this time the cost was high. Muscles were ripped from his bones. His brittle bones were broken, snapping like twigs. And his organs were shredded and vaporized into nothingness.

There was much suffering, and yet it frightened Naruto when it suddenly ended. Almost instinctively, his body repaired itself, the limbs-made-of-fire quickly replaced by real limbs, and all the wounds through which his inner fire could leak through closed. And yet something felt wrong, terribly wrong. There was a sense of dread which only worsened when Moryo's dark laughter resounded.

"I knew I couldn't destroy you, but I couldn't let your actions pass either, brat," the demon hissed. "Without a vessel, the priestess didn't trigger the same trap, and she didn't have to struggle for dominance… such a pity…"

"What… what is this?" Naruto felt cold. How on earth could he feel cold?!

It was the sealing. Shion had succeeded. "…and yet I will not be the only one to lose," Moryo laughed.

Naruto had no idea what the demon was doing. Shion had repaired the seals, and the shrine was restored in its former glory. Moryo was dragged down, cast back into the realm of the dead, and yet Moryo was laughing. Laughing, because the demon had grabbed onto Naruto. Just now, when Naruto had most of his body destroyed by Moryo's flurry of attacks, Moryo had seen its chance to latch onto Naruto's soul – ripping it from his body.

Now the infallible seal did its work. No matter how Shion screamed in panic, even the priestess herself couldn't halt the process. It dragged every inhuman entity into the vast realm of the dead: the Pure Land, a realm where causality, the normal laws to which mortals had to obey, was absent.

"Consider this the price you have to pay... I am not easily beaten. You are as much a demon as I am," the whispering voice of Moryo seemed to come from all directions at once. "One tied to the world of the living, though. It will be interesting to see where you will end up from this point. Or should I say 'when'?"

In this moment, Naruto witnessed the Pure Land. It was a realm without sickness, old age, or death. In this realm, mortal souls were desensitized to external stimuli, losing track of the passing of time. It was a realm without suffering, without difficulties- a realm where things such as greed, ignorance, anger, strife, or laziness could not exist. It was a true hell to a demon like Moryo.

Unlike the souls of mortals, which would eventually leave this plane upon reaching nirvana, Moryo was a being filled with evil. This gilded cage rendered it powerless, and trapped it for eternity. But, it was a realm for those mortal souls who had perished and passed on, for those who lost their connection to their earthly bodies. These were laws which did not apply to Naruto. He didn't belong here. Although he might have been separated from his physical body, it still didn't mean that he could die. Just like what had happened before, a manifestation of flames was created.

The laws of the living conflicted with the laws of the dead and unleashed a chaos inside of which even Moryo couldn't manage to hold onto Naruto. Freed from the demon, Naruto felt his warmth churning. He felt how it was being siphoned to somewhere else. Somewhere, someplace, sometime…

In this realm, the flow of time was not connected to that of the mortal realm, so there was no saying where Naruto would end up- even Moryo could not even begin to guess. Especially not, because it did not understand Naruto- for the first time in eons, the demon met someone that it could not comprehend. It frightened Moryo more than it would ever admit. But even in defeat, the diabolical being had managed to drag its opponent down with it. Who would know in which moment in time the boy would end up in? As far as Moryo knew, Naruto was cast adrift, not anchored to any specific time. Although detached from his body, his soul didn't belong in the realm of the dead.

Naruto was the exception: the freak chance which the creators of the universe never seemed to have accounted for.

The Shinju had been the roots of the earth, regulating and dispersing all chakra, guarding and nourishing all life. It was an entity tied to the world of the living through bounds transcending even the laws of life and death. The Kyuubi was a fraction of that power: a somewhat corrupted, sentient piece of the Divine Tree, a result of the crimes of Otsutsuki Kaguya- and the attempts of her son Hagoromo to made amends for her misguided actions. But regardless of the actions which led to his 'birth', Kurama was an entity that couldn't perish. He could be destroyed, yes, but he'd reform after a set amount of time.

But due to the actions of Namikaze Minato, some things had fundamentally changed. So strong was the seal that even in death, Naruto was bound to the mightiest of the nine Bijuu. The Shiki Fujin had been declared an S-ranked kinjutsu for a reason. No mortal should mess with the laws of mortality.

For Naruto, strictly speaking, what he suffered was not pain. There was no body to be hurt. No nervous system to transmit the signals. But for his spirit, the pull on it seemed to tear Naruto's soul apart. It was as if something huge was forced through the tiniest of openings. Naruto couldn't die due to Kurama, but his 'escape' from the Pure Land was not a simple matter either. No torture in the world could be compared to this, and under the jurisdiction of the timeless realm it seemed to be everlasting. Or was it merely a fraction of a second? Naruto could barely fathom the pain, let alone pay attention to how long it lasted.

The instant of eternity was followed by a moment of nothingness.

The moment of tranquility did not last, though. Naruto was flooded with many sensations. Chakra was all around him: an oddly familiar chakra. This was his anchor. A being leaving the realm of the dead would reincarnate, but Uzumaki Naruto did not, could not, technically die. Adrift, he returned to the moment of his origins, where all the powers that formed his unusual existence had come together to create him, the universe's exception. The chakra filling the air was violent and oppressive, yet in the body-of-flames in which he had reformed, this density was merely a blessing. This chakra was food. He sucked it in, like a baby suckling on his mother's milk, sustenance for his unstable body. He smelled smoke, blood, sweat. The oddest of all was that these smells were somehow familiar. As if they belonged…

He heard a gasp. "N-no, stay away…" a weak female voice sounded. Naruto struggled to readjust his senses. Reforming his eyes had always been the most difficult part of this process of rebirth, but he was curious. He exerted himself, using the energy he had collected at this point, and formed eyes- or at least, the churning orbs of liquid flame which acted as his eyes.

Naruto saw that he had ended up in some kind of room- a storage room, with kunai, pouches, bottles, and scrolls. Everything a shinobi would require could be found here. But that did not explain the voice, the quivering and weak voice.

Naruto saw a woman, bloodied and weak, lying next to a baby. Despite the chaos, the baby slept undisturbed, completely at peace in its mother's loving embrace. Something about the shape of her face confused Naruto, but her red hair was beautiful. However, her expression, a mingling of fear and rage, was something which surprised Naruto. He still felt so weak… The ordeal that Moryo put him through had depleted nearly all his warmth. With no energy other than the oppressive chakra which flowed through the air around him, which he drank in greedily, Naruto had trouble keeping up even this fragile form.

Then it hit him. He saw the baby, the marks on the child's cheeks, the tiny blonde pluck of hair… Naruto felt as if his heart froze. Although, he wasn't really sure if this body had a heart, but that wasn't something that mattered to him right now. Right now, he saw the woman holding that child. A child which couldn't be… but it was, wasn't it?

"Impossible…" he mumbled.

"I won't let you… You… Minato," the woman huffed, seemingly pushing herself just to stay awake. She was weak, extremely weak, but still had a determination that could shatter a mountain. Naruto saw that in her violet eyes. No creature could equal the ferocity of a mother protecting her child.

And right now, she saw a strange entity, and she wasn't sure whether it was a threat or not. Whether it was real or just a delusion caused by her weakened state, she couldn't be sure of that either. She thought she was delirious. A young man with a body made out of nothing but flames… that couldn't possibly be real could it?

However, she had yet to be truly shocked. "Get away… get away," she tried to hide Naruto from…

"This… This is impossible!" Naruto stared at the woman. "Kaa-chan?"

Even if he was not aware of this, Uzumaki Naruto was a being outside life or death, a being that was unable to reincarnate. And unlike the last time he entered this realm, this time his return was without the guidance of Otsutsuki Hagoromo. Naruto was led back to his origins, reborn on the very day he was born: on the day that he was bound to the Kyuubi. It was the day that the Shinigami had twisted the laws of causality and created the prerequisites for the fate which Naruto had suffered.

This was the day Uzumaki Naruto had lost everything. Moryo had won. Naruto was trapped. He was stranded in time, brought to those he had always longed to see, yet in turn he had been separated from those he loved.

'_Temari… Tayuya… This can't be real, can it?!'_

* * *

_Author's notes_:

* * *

**Yay, we've gone back to Naru… wait, what another… baby? Kushina?! What the fuck? Ziltoid, have you gone completely out of your freaking mind?! You lunatic! Burn him at the stake! **

*rubs his hands and chuckles like a cliché cartoon villain while the crowd gathers pitchforks and torches*

Heh. Gehehehehe. I warned you all, didn't I? I told you the shit had yet to hit the fan. And it did. Evil, you say? Well, I guess I am. But before you chew me out for this insane chapter: I don't pick the quotes at the start of every chapter randomly. I'm responsible for all that I write, yet this in turn also gives me the freedom to write what I _want_ to write. And while I might have gone a little overboard in terms of complexity, I have never intended Pareidolia to be a simple story anyway. I mean, why else name the story 'Pareidolia'?

But what is Naruto going to do now? Will he be in time to stop 'Madara'? Will Naruto help Naruto? (Paradox?) And what about Kushina and Minato? I've got a lot of explaining to do next time in the twentieth chapter!

As always, I thank all who support me! Please leave **reviews**! I'll take them into account when writing the next chapter, answer the remaining questions to the best of my ability in there, or, if necessary, expand this chapter a little in case I failed to explain something properly. As always I have to thank **llluminated**, the mighty beta who even managed to beta-read and edit this madness! (_Illuminated is like Icebear from Three Bare Bears_)

I hope to see you all next time,

* * *

-Z-


	21. Revenant

**Pareidolia**

* * *

**Chapter twenty**

**Revenant**

* * *

"_The past is never where you think you left it."_

― Katherine Anne Porter

* * *

"_I ask you again, Kurama, what happened that could force you to come to this place?"_

_"You and your damn riddles," Kurama grumbled. "I told you, the brat in whom I was imprisoned died. So I should be reforming some time soon, right?"_

_"No, Kurama, none of the others have come here before reforming. How did the child that held you die?"_

_"Tsk. Well, the brat faced the kid that contained Shukaku, and well…"_

_"You two still haven't stopped fighting?"_

_"Erm… not really, no," Kurama admitted, feeling a bit sheepish. How long had it been since the mighty nine-tailed fox felt like a child that received a scolding?_

_"Then how did the child die?"_

_"Well, Shukaku controlled his kid, and attacked mine, last thing I saw was the boy getting crushed by a wave of sand."_

_"You did not help the child?" Hagoromo frowned._

_"Hell no. That brat was too dumb and annoying, I couldn't keep saving his ungrateful ass," Kurama snapped. "What was I supposed to do, aid that brat and allow him to keep me imprisoned? I have been mistreated for centuries; those humans attacked me, subjugated me, and finally imprisoned me. I had had enough. I wanted freedom, even if it meant-"_

_"Even if it meant allowing the murder of an innocent child," Hagoromo said, but his speaking tone broke the Kyuubi's anger. Hagoromo's disappointment and sorrow felt like tangible blades that pierced the Bijuu's heart. "I thought I raised you to be better than that, Kurama…"_

_Kurama scowled a little, but eventually relented and sighed. "You are right... The brat was not completely bad, I admit that. At least he didn't pin me down, or bind me down with chains or anything. At least, not yet. He was still protected by that accursed seal his father trapped me in."_

_"Tell me about that seal," Hagoromo said sternly._

_"Ahh… I must admit I don't know too much about that."_

_"How so?"_

_"The brat's mother was the previous jinchuriki, that's how they called the humans that contained us, and she died when giving birth to the brat. My memories of that day aren't really clear. One moment, I felt myself getting dragged out of that woman's seal, and the next I stood in the center of a village, fighting a bunch of troublesome humans. Last things I remember are that the brat's father used some kind of seal to split me in two, and seal one half inside himself."_

* * *

"This… This is impossible!" Naruto stared at the woman. "Kaa-chan?"

The woman coughed out some blood. She seemed so frail, so weak… Naruto realized which night this had to be- the night of his birth. It was the night that the Kyuubi attacked Konoha, and killed his parents. The baby had the same kind of whiskers he had. This woman… her face was nearly identical to his own. It had to be his mother! But how? '_Moryo dragged me in, and said that he could not keep me. How could I be here? Why now? Am I stuck in this time?'_

As weak as she was, Uzumaki Kushina dragged her body in front of Naruto. Well, the baby Naruto, that is. She saw a human-shaped mass of flames, an impossibility. Or was it a trick from the Kyuubi? She thought she could faintly sense its power within those flames. So, she used her body to shield her baby from harm. '_What is happening? Minato said he would stop the Kyuubi and that masked man. What is this?'_

A massive explosion shook the building they were in. Naruto could sense it. See it. A humongous amount of 'warmth' had just been wasted. "This truly is the night Kurama attacked," the human-shaped mass of fire spoke.

'_Kurama? What is it talking about? Does he think this is the doing of the Kurama clan?'_ Kushina frowned. "K-Konoha is under attack... What are-"

The man-shaped mass of flames flickered and then hovered over her, without her even seeing him move. In a futile attempt to defend her baby, Kushina lashed out. But her fist could not touch the apparition. Yet, it did not burn her either. It was rather a soothing kind of warmth. It was as if it was a manifestation of the peaceful intentions the being had, of a love which confused her; yet, the bittersweet happiness she felt from it brought her to tears.

How could she know that this thing was her son-from-the-future? Even Naruto – not the baby one - could barely fathom it, and he had just made a literal trip through the afterlife. Baby Naruto understood even less of the matter, and just stubbornly slept through the entire thing. Naruto – the fiery one – had experienced the torment Moryo inflicted upon him. He had been dragged into the demon's otherworldly prison, the Pure Land where only the souls of the dead could exist, only to escape and end up at the wrong place.

No, the wrong _time_.

Not even thinking about the possible effects his actions might have, Naruto only had one thought in mind: his mother was suffering. He could see it clear as day, how the energy was leaking out her body. Her chakra system was broken, her warmth escaping her, as if something was… '_That's it! She was the previous jinchuriki! I remember that Kurama said something like that. This night… Kurama must have escaped, and left her in this condition.'_

Gently, Naruto touched his mother's stomach. Confused by the situation, Kushina tried to stop him, tried to wriggle away; but Naruto was too fast. With baby Naruto behind her, Kushina was not able to move any further from her spot anyway.

Her eyes widened when the being touched her. This sensation was far stronger then when her fist passed through it. The apparition's hand spread a warmth through her which took away most of the pain she was in, both from childbirth and from having the Kyuubi ripped out of her. "What… Who are you?" she whispered, when she realized that he had just stopped her from dying. '_Impossible! The seal… How could he stop the effects like that? I never heard of anyone to be able to halt that decay, it is impossible! It is impossible for a jinchuriki to survive extraction, me staying alive this long was already torture. And yet… how can he stop this?'_

Naruto looked at her, and considered what he could tell her. Another explosion, this one more distant, made the earth tremble. He knew that he had to move, and quickly. The Kyuubi had killed so many that night- _this_ night. Naruto knew he had to hurry, but he could not help himself. All his life he had dreamt of meeting this woman, who was now right in front of him. In his time between life and death, he had hoped he'd meet them, but he'd always been alone. This… this was overwhelming. How could he move away from her? He wanted to do more than just stopping the decay of her chakra pathways, but knew that it would be… On the other hand, if this really was what he suspected, then he was cast back in time. What consequences could his actions have? Would the things he did change everything in his time? Would it erase the relationship he had with Temari and Tayuya?

He didn't want to lose them, he loved them, but on the other hand… how could he let things happen just like the way it had gone in his time? He knew he'd risk messing up things by altering this timeline, but in this case, who wouldn't rescue his parents, no matter the consequences? Hell, if he ended up in this kind of chaos, couldn't he ensure that the Temari and Tayuya in this time would never have to suffer like they did in his time? It seemed worth the sacrifice. Their happiness was more important to Naruto than his own, just like the survival of his parents and the baby-him was.

Although, he knew that there was a chance that he would just disappear the moment he changed this Naruto's life, as the alteration would cause a chain-effect that would erase his own existence.

"I asked you a question." In the time Naruto took to weigh his options, Kushina had grown impatient. The situation was already dire, but even though this strange person had saved her from an immediate death, the Kyuubi was still on the loose. And on top of that, there was the fact that Namikaze Kushina had never been a patient woman- at all. Naruto saw how her scowl deepened. It was almost like he had looked into a mirror and saw the way his own face had moved.

'_I cannot give her my real name. She'd think I would be completely nuts if I said that I was the same person as the baby-me behind her. Then again, the entire situation is insane. But I can't have her flipping out even more if she heard it. She needs rest, and not more stress,'_ he considered. "My name… l will it explain later. Genkuro seems fitting, for now."

"Are you with the masked man?"

"Masked man?" Naruto wondered. What on earth was going on? Was there a masked man in play here? Could it be… had this not all been Kurama's doing? Kurama had said something about not knowing exactly what had happened. Was there actually someone who had orchestrated the incident of that night?

"The one who dragged the Kyuubi out of my seal," Kushina confirmed his fears. "I don't know who or what you are, but… please help. That man aims to use the Kyuubi to attack Konoha. My husband is out there, fighting them… But even Minato…"

In spite of everything, Naruto smiled gently. He still couldn't fathom that he was the son of the legendary Yondaime, his hero, but it was true. Kurama had said it, and now Kushina confirmed once more. '_I'd jump at her and hug her, but that would only freak her out, especially considering my current looks. No, she needs to rest, time to heal.'_

Kushina looked at the man-shaped being of flames, and saw it turn its head towards her. She sighed in relief when it (he?) nodded.

* * *

Movement in this fluid body was a bit awkward at first, but Naruto adapted quickly. He had all of Genkuro's memories at his disposal, so he didn't need to learn anything new. All he needed to do was to remember it. Genkuro was a part of him, after all. So it didn't take him very long until he found the man he was looking for. He even managed to keep himself hidden.

"Are you Uchiha Madara?" a blond man spoke, with the short-sleeved, long white haori that Naruto knew so well from the pictures. Now that Naruto saw him in the flesh, he wondered why he never noticed it before. He was almost a duplicate of Namikaze Minato; only the shape of his face was more like Kushina's. But the similarities were unmistakable. Naruto could smack himself to the head for not seeing that sooner. Then again, how could he, the shunned 'pest' of Konoha, ever he considered to be related to one of the greatest shinobi in human existence? He had thought that he was only another orphan, a nobody who was struggling against all odds. "No, you couldn't be," Minato mused. "Uchiha Madara is long dead…"

A masked man stood in front of Namikaze Minato. Clad in a black cloak, the man put down the hood to reveal a little more of himself. Not much, though. Only one eye was visible through that mask, though that was not something which confused Naruto. No, Naruto saw two different types of warmth, as if half the man's body was made out of something else, something foreign.

"Oh… I don't know about _that_," the masked man answered calmly, his sharingan staring at Minato. Neither of the two seemed to have noticed Naruto.

"On second thought, it doesn't matter who you are. But why have you attacked Konoha?" the Yondaime Hokage stayed focused.

"Oh, you know… It's fun, it is part of my plan," the man kept speaking casually, even though they could hear the Kyuubi rage in the distance. "To start a war… to bring peace."

'_Start a war to bring peace? What is this guy talking about?'_ Naruto mused. He saw how his father raised a kunai, and how he and the masked man started a fight which went faster than a regular human eye would be able to follow. Fortunately, Naruto didn't have regular human eyes. Minato's attacks had little to no effect. Naruto could see how the masked man steadily burned through his chakra, but Minato couldn't touch him, not yet. It was as if the masked man was somehow capable of making himself intangible. Minato's attacks slid through the man as if he was nothing more than a mirage. Naruto knew he couldn't be an illusion, as the man's warmth was there, making the scene even stranger. The masked man was intangible until he tried to grab Minato, and the latter teleported. The attack that followed, a spinning orb of chakra called the 'rasengan', actually hit the man.

'_So he has to consciously make himself intangible? That explains the minor losses of chakra whenever he activates the ability. The losses were bigger when he had to make larger part of himself ethereal or when he had to do it longer,'_ Naruto noted. '_Would that mean that there is a limit to how long he could keep it up? I mean, he has to run out of chakra at some point, which would force him to quit that weird-ass jutsu of his, right? And that rasen-thingy packed quite a blow, considering the energy that guy lost with one hit.'_

"That was the Hiraishin Ni no Dan (flying thunder god technique level two)," Minato remarked, moments before he started another flashing sequence of attacks. The last hit, a thrust of the palm, connected to the masked man's chest, and spread some kind of seal which Naruto didn't recognize.

"A contract seal?!" 'Madara' grunted. "Are you trying to pull the Kyuubi free from my control?"

"No, I already did. The Kyuubi is no longer your weapon."

Naruto could hear Kurama howl as he apparently came to its senses. The chakra in the air actually increased in density, much to Naruto's delight. It increased his power, but also his worry. '_I suppose I hated Kurama for something he didn't voluntarily do. If I heard Tou-san correctly, that masked goon was somehow controlling Kurama. It wouldn't make him any less grumpy, but at least he's not the incarnation of evil I thought he was,'_ Naruto mused. Then again, the little exchange he had had with Kurama before Moryo had revived Naruto had already given Naruto the idea that Kurama wasn't necessarily completely evil. Perhaps the bijuu truly were just misunderstood, and mistreated.

"You deserve the title of Yondaime Hokage... managing to wound me and wrest the fox from my control in one move. But someday it will be mine again," the masked man still talked casually, although Naruto could hear that the man was tired. "The fox, and this whole world, both will bow to my will. Many doors are still left open to me."

Naruto scowled, as far as this was visible in this body of flames, when the man's chakra patterns changed. He was casting an entirely different jutsu from the one which made him intangible earlier. Something swirled, and Naruto saw how the man's warmth created some kind of vortex. He was trying to get away!

"Oh no you don't!" while Naruto had kept his presence to a minimum earlier, as he preferred to keep hidden while he gathered energy, he now solidified his flames. Before the vortex created by the masked man could widen any further, Naruto was there to blast him aside. "Oh, so the guy isn't intangible when he's doing the swirly thing?" Naruto blinked, surprised that he actually had landed a hit.

"Who…?"

"Hello, Namikaze Minato," Naruto nodded. His sudden appearance, as well as his appearance in itself, left Minato staring at him in confusion. "I'd love to talk, but don't you think the Kyuubi has to be stopped first?"

Minato blinked, the man famed for his lightning-fast reflexes had to take a few seconds before he got over his surprise. "Are you on our side?"

"I'm here to kill this masked idiot, yes. And I'd rather not see you, your wife or your baby die today."

"Why?"

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you," Naruto chuckled. "But I promise you that I will tell you as much as I can after this chaos settles down. Oh, and if you are as good as the history books said, you can probably sense that your wife is doing fine now. If you don't trust what I am, you can at least trust me for what I did, right?"

Minato had indeed felt how Kushina's condition was somehow stabilized. But how? He couldn't sense a genjutsu either, but this was too weird to be real. Whoever this guy was, he didn't seem to have bad intentions. Even if he had, they were not of an immediate nature- or at least less urgent than a raging Kyuubi that was pounding its way through the village.

"Go," Naruto urged. Minato, numbed, could only nod before he vanished in a flash of bright yellow. '_Yellow flash indeed... Heh, who would have thought that my greatest hero was also my father. I still can't believe it. Would've pinched my arm, but that doesn't seem to help in this weird boy,'_ Naruto smiled, after which he forced himself to be serious. The one responsible for screwing up his childhood hadn't been the Kyuubi. No, Naruto had a new person to hold a grudge against. '_This masked asshole is going to pay. His chakra is puny in comparison, but his dojutsu makes him weird. But he cannot escape without making himself tangible. I'm going to roast his ass.'_

The masked man was still struggling to get back on his feet when Naruto approached. Naruto's partly materialized fist had either packed quite a punch, or the man was more fragile than expected. It was his dojutsu that made him slippery. Naruto had not let the man out of his sight while enjoying the little talk he had with his father. No, this fight was too personal for that. There were twelve years of hidden anger, twelve miserably lonely years, all because of this man. The more Naruto thought about it, the colder the area became- until Naruto could hear the frozen damp of the grass underneath his feet shatter with every step he took.

'_He used the Kyuubi somehow. I'm not sure why, but the Yondaime somehow stopped him from controlling the bijuu. Why on earth did this guy do this? A war to bring peace?' _Naruto knew that there were too many things unknown. "Talk… Talk, and I might grant you a quick death." Naruto now understood why Genkuro could be so ruthless. Some people just didn't deserve any mercy.

"Such arrogance," the masked man wheezed. "Just because you caught me off guard."

Naruto reached out and grabbed the man's mask. "Sturdy," he complimented. But when he squeezed, the mask shattered nonetheless. The man instantly become wary of this new opponent, not just due to Naruto's strength, but especially due to the speed. Fluid like flowing fire, Naruto had moved close before the man had a chance to back away.

"Who are you?"

"Apparently, I am what you made me," Naruto decided to remain cryptic. Only stupid antagonists in shoddy comics gave away their secret, babbling on and on, giving the protagonist the chance to beat them in spite of the overwhelming odds they faced. Naruto wasn't inclined to be such a fool, not now, not against the man who had ruined his life- or would. This time travel thing was still confusing the hell out of him. "So why don't you tell me why you created me?"

"What?"

"You used the Kyuubi, how? Why?"

The man chuckled, and decided to humor his opponent. "To bring peace."

His hand suddenly lost grasp of the man. '_He became intangible again,_' Naruto felt a little sting of annoyance that he did not see it. '_I still babbled like an idiot. Damn. Ah well, let's see how long he can last.'_

Having only solidified the outer layer of his body, Naruto had no trouble to let his flames leak out again. The fires broke from his 'body' and swirled through the air, surrounding the masked man, and passing through him. '_Now, I hope I'm right that he can't do the swirly thing while intangible, or I'm fucking this up... I can't go all out and gather more energy, not here. I can't control those flames. Kaa-chan and mini-me would die if I messed up. Hell, I could torch down half of Konoha if I don't watch it. Damn that asshole of a Moryo! I am _so_ going to kick his shady ass if I ever see him again.'_

"You used a bijuu… So that means you are after all the bijuu?" Naruto demanded. Genkuro had gathered quite some information on an organization called 'Akatsuki', most of it torn out of Orochimaru's memories. Was this man one of them? There had been someone with an orange mask, but that hadn't been Uchiha Madara, although Orochimaru hadn't truly trusted 'Tobi' to be who he claimed to be.

In spite of his annoyance, the masked man laughed softly, mirthlessly. Annoyed, because Naruto exploited the sole weakness of his mangekyo sharingan, something which 'Madara' had not anticipated. Then again, he had not expected this opponent at all. He couldn't fathom what his opponent was. Even his sharingan could not make any sense out of it. If it had been some kind of kekkei genkai which transformed his body into flames, his sharingan would have been able to see it, to find a weakness in it, to anticipate it. A guy like this couldn't be randomly popping up here.

'_I made him? What is he talking about? I need to get out of here. Minato-sensei will soon find a way to subdue the Kyuubi, and our previous skirmish made it obvious that I still have a lot of training to do.'_ Even if subduing the Kyuubi had cost him a lot of chakra, he still had not anticipated that Namikaze Minato would have been this much stronger.

Time was not on Naruto's side either. The Kyuubi was still out there, and if he did not act soon, both his parents would perish, just like in his own time. '_No matter how I got here, I am not allowing letting that happen again! I… no, this alternate me, I won't let him live a life like mine!'_

Suddenly, the masked man ran backwards, trying to evade Naruto's flames. "If that is how you want it to happen," Naruto mumbled. His frozen rage got the better of him.

The instant the masked man got out of the flames' reach, the air around him began to swirl. He knew it would be risky, but with his opponent at range, he took the chance. He needed to get out. He needed to reevaluate and discuss the situation with Zetsu. He needed to know what the black Zetsu, Madara's will, would advise. An opponent like this flaming man was way out of their planning.

Feeling how the portal opened and his body began to travel through, Uchiha Obito felt relief. His opponent just stood there, and Obito smirked. "We will meet later," he sneered.

"You turned my life into a living hell, leading to the deaths of me and many others. I should make you suffer for that, but unfortunately I do not have the time…"

Fire burst from the ground. The swirling motion sucked them only further towards Obito, and within a fraction of a second he stood in the center of a raging inferno.

Naruto's body flickered, and disappeared.

Only to reform amidst the inferno that surrounded Obito. It all happened so fast. The short interval between opening the portal towards the realm of his Kamui, and entering it, Obito couldn't keep up. It was but a fraction of a second, but within it Naruto had moved. And before Obito knew it, flesh melted, intestines boiled, and his chest was blown apart. Even the resilient Zetsu-part of his body couldn't endure it. The sharingan suddenly lost its power, and the jutsu ended prematurely, closing the realm of Kamui forever. His spine severed, Obito fell down lifelessly, for the flames to consume her remains.

The flames receded into Naruto's 'body', but he realized that the chakra he had taken from 'Madara' was still insufficient. "I suppose I could form a simple shell like I did before when I had that child-like form, when I just met Temari-chan," Naruto sighed. "It's weak, but it at least offers some stability. Constantly focusing in order to keep my body together really is annoying."

* * *

'_Nothing indicates that either the burning man or the masked one were lying,' _Namikaze Minato sped towards the location where his subordinates where desperately trying to fend of the Kyuubi, and failing miserably. The demon was simply too powerful to fight with normal means. '_But why? This whole situation is just too strange.'_

Minato had a deeply rooted respect for his wife's power and ability, not in the least because he had been on the receiving end of her fury on several occasions, especially during her pregnancy. Nevertheless, he still found it hard to believe that she was able to contain such a demon. Such immeasurable power… while he knew better than most that the Kyuubi was an immensely powerful entity, to see it in the flesh like this was a entirely different experience.

"Hold it off until Yondaime-sama arrives!" Minato heard this most among the desperate cries of the fighting shinobi below. From the Hokage monument, he had a good view of the horror which was unfolding in his village. With its jaws spurred open, the Kyuubi was rapidly gathering a massive amount of chakra. It was the Bijuudama, one of the most destructive jutsu in the shinobi world, capable of eradicating entire cities in one explosion, the reason why the bijuu were feared across the world.

'_I've deflected one before, but this one… This is awful,'_ Minato paled. But it was not time to be shocked. He wanted to get to his wife, to see his son, but he had his duty right now. He was the Yondaime Hokage of Konohagakure, and would rather die than see his village be obliterated by the Kyuubi.

"Kuchiyose no Jutsu!"

With a loud crash, the humongous boss of the Toad summon clan fell on top of the Kyuubi. Upon seeing Gamabunta, people screamed as they thought they were saved, but Minato knew better. '_There's no other way now. I'm sorry Kushina..." _Minato grimaced. "Bunta, hold the fox down for a minute!"

"Hey, I may be big, but I'm not a miracle worker!" Gamabunta bellowed.

"I need enough chakra to take him and that blast out of here," Minato urged the creature to do what it could, before the Bijuudama was completed.

Staring death in the face, Sarutobi Hiruzen stood in front of the fox's mouth, only several feet removed from the massive ball of chakra the creature held in its mouth. And then they were gone: the fox, the toad, and his successor. Hiruzen had lost track of them all.

* * *

Just outside Konoha, Namikaze Minato held his wife and infant son. It was the only option Minato had in the limited amount of time he had: to teleport to this specific marker. It was the one that was furthest away from Konoha or any other populated area, while still close enough to quickly travel towards without burning up all of his chakra reserves. Because taking the monstrous fox along was taxing, even for someone as strong as Minato. The attack which the creature had prepared had detonated instantly, but Minato wasn't called the 'yellow flash' for no reason. Even if it had just been a matter of fractions of seconds, Minato had saved his wife and child.

Only… for some reason, the explosion of the Bijuudama wasn't that big. It was far smaller than Minato was anticipating, at least. Something was wrong, and he couldn't think of any reason for why the Kyuubi would have limited the range of the explosion. '_Did it somehow redirect its chakra at the last second, realizing that it had been transported away? Though, why would the Kyuubi, of all creatures, be frugal with chakra?'_

"Stay here, Kushina, stay with Naruto," Minato urged Kushina to settle down. He could see she wanted to confront the Bijuu, he knew she saw it as her responsibility to stop the creature. "Your condition is stable right now. Don't take unnecessary risks now, I can't allow my son to grow up without his mother…"

"Nor can I allow him to live without his father," Kushina mumbled. "Minato… Don't-"

The two were cut off when something exploded. The Kyuubi was driven back by the sheer power of the shockwave.

"What on earth…?" Minato wanted to leave, but Kushina grabbed him by his vest.

"Don't you die! Promise me, Minato," she seemed to be on the brink of tears. "Put that wretched creature back in my seal, so that we can live like a family. But don't you dare die on me. I need you! Naruto needs you!"

'_Sealing it back in you… that is not possible anymore. And you know that, Kushina. You're planning to take it down with you. But I cannot let that happen. I do not know how or why, but that stranger did manage to stabilize you. He saved you. But you won't be able to sustain the Kyuubi again. Your body is too fragile for that,' _Minato considered as he looked at his wife. It pained him, but the logical part of his mind pointed out that there was only one Uzumaki left in Konoha. Had Tsunade been around, she could perhaps have been able to contain the creature, with her being the granddaughter of the first jinchuriki of the Kyuubi, Uzumaki Mito. But Tsunade's whereabouts where currently unknown.

And if even if Minato had known, she wasn't here. '_I'm so sorry Naruto… I'm so sorry. But I have no choice. No one else could even hope to endure this burden, and I cannot let it roam freely either.'_

* * *

"Mannnn… And I just created that stupid shell," Naruto whined, frustrated that it had already been destroyed by Kurama's Bijuudama. With limited time and energy, Naruto had only created an outer shell to contain his flames. It had never stood a chance against such a massive blast. Keeping himself together was, both literally and figuratively, a difficult task right now. And though the massive attack had provided an enormous feast of warmth for Naruto to digest, the Uzumaki had been annoyed nonetheless. An annoyance which had only grown when he saw who had destroyed his 'body'.

"Oi, you furball, what's the big idea!"

Confused, the nine-tailed fox stared down, searching for where this unfamiliar voice originated from, but all Kurama saw was fire.

"Down here, ya big idiot," Naruto growled. "What the hell are you doing, Kurama?!"

"A human… Made out of flames?" Kurama frowned. "Who knows my name?"

"Human? Perhaps you could call me human," Naruto shrugged. As odd as the movement looked in his fiery form, he still performed it, mostly out of habit.

Kurama didn't care. He had finally been freed, and then he was somehow sleepwalking or whatever had happened to him… He didn't know. All he knew was that he suddenly woke up in the middle of the human village of Konohagakure, with a shitload of those pesky two-legged pests attacking him from all directions.

As such, Kurama did not have the patience to take any interest in the unusual creature which had just knocked him back. His claw would remove that nuisance. And after him, there were more annoying critters around. There was that Uzumaki woman who had held him in chains for the last few decades, for example, someone Kurama wanted to get rid of first, just like that meddlesome husband of hers. Kurama marked them as his most dangerous adversaries. Although that vixen-peeping sage was a nuisance as well, just like all those who had mastered fuinjutsu.

But his search was disrupted when this man-made-of-flames suddenly landed on top of his head. The claw had done no damage to Naruto at all, who didn't have a body that could be harmed in the first place- but it did piss him off.

"Raigo: Shihai (welcoming approach: domination)," Naruto roared. A massive fist of his scorching chakra-like energy landed on top of the fox's head. For an instant, Kurama's eyesight was gone. His mind went blank, and he nearly tripped. It was but an instant, but this humanlike creature had actually stunned him. It had earned Kurama's undivided attention now.

"You've finally calmed down enough to listen?" Naruto sighed. "Do you mind telling me how that masked Uchiha was just using you?"

"Uchiha?" the massive creature snarled.

"Relax, he's dead, I roasted him."

"Who are you? Why do you know my name?"

"Gheh, it figures… I forgot that 'this' Kurama wouldn't know," Naruto sighed. "Ah well, let's see if you understand this." When Naruto gently placed his hand on top of Kurama's head, the Bijuu felt how Naruto made contact with him, offered him a link, an awkward attempt to perform the lost art of Ninshu. It was… confusing, to say the least. A random and seemingly disorderly flood of images and impressions entered his ancient mind. But underneath it all, Kurama sensed something which frightened him more than anything.

There was his own chakra, and it carried memories of his death, of a meeting with his creator/father figure Otsutsuki Hagoromo. There were memories of Ninshu, memories of things which no mortal human should know or could know. But this human… he was a drifter. This human was from somewhere else, sometime else. But how? Was this a warning of what would happen if he did not aid the child in whom he would be sealed? Because in that other timeline that blond pest of a Hokage had sealed him within a child, after the man had torn Kurama asunder.

This is what had caused the problems when Kurama had let the boy… "How?" Wide-eyed, the Kyuubi forgot about his surroundings. Not since meeting his creator had the bijuu been startled like this. "How are you here?"

"I'm not really sure. We died, yet somehow I came back. With you. But we got screwed over once more when this other demon dragged me into some kind of wormhole. I don't really get it either, but when I ended up amidst this battle between my Tou-san and that masked bastard, I learned that he was the very guy who controlled you and screwed up my life. I turned him to ashes, and came out to stop you… until you nuked me, dammit!"

"Father… so I would get sealed in-"

"Their newborn child, yes," Naruto nodded. "In the 'me' of this time, or whatever you want to call it. It's kinda confusing. I'm getting a headache trying to figure out this mess. Even if I don't technically have a head right now."

"How did you… How did _we_ die?"

"The Ichibi. Well, that's not entirely true. The Ichibi caught me, but I could've escaped if you had given me some of your chakra so that I could escape from it, but you refused. And because of it, we ended up in this crazy situation. Not really dead, but not really alive either, I suppose we've become something else."

"So you want to tell me that I have to help you?"

"Not me, but the other me," Naruto chuckled. "Listen, I know you're a proud bastard, but my dad is approaching, and fast. Can I trust that you won't repeat the same mistake?"

"Human… are you suggesting that I have to cooperate with that fledgling version of you? You ask me to willingly let me be imprisoned again?" the Bijuu asked incredulously. "How can you have the guts to ask me for my cooperation?"

"You'd be hunted anyway. That masked guy just now, the one who said he was Madara or whatever, he's part of a larger organization which will be hunting you and the other bijuu in a few years. But if you give me your word that you would be more cooperative, I will convince the Yondaime to give you a more comfortable seal, okay? I mean, everything beats the Shiki Fujin, where you'll split in half, with half of you ending up in me and the other within the Shinigami, right? Besides, I'll make sure you'll get more freedom as soon as mini-me can bear it."

'_He is right... Those humans will hunt me anyway. And getting split in half doesn't sound very appealing. Even I wouldn't be able to escape from the Shinigami,'_ Kurama considered.

"I'd appreciate it if my life wouldn't be as fucked up as it was before. Or," Naruto tried to find the right words, but failed. "Argh, this time shit is confusing the crap out of me! I've read about this stuff in novels, thinking that it would be impossible, but now I am right in the middle of this shit!"

"You and me both," Kurama hated to admit it, but this situation was weird however he looked at it. Threats were everywhere, and as unappealing as it sounded… "If those are my options, it seems I only have one viable choice. I want to stay complete, you hear me?"

At that point, Namikaze Minato arrived at the scene. Witnessing a discussion between man and demon, something unprecedented in his world, at least it had been for a very long time.

"Yo!" Naruto jumped down, surprising his father. Well, Minato didn't know that they were related. In fact, seeing that the literally fiery man was discussing something with the most-feared Bijuu made him suspicious.

"Genkuro."

"I see you've learned my name. Is the family okay?" Naruto waited for a bit, but didn't get an answer. "Don't be so cold all of a sudden, I may be made out of fire but that still hurts. In fact, it makes me dislike coldness all the more!" he joked.

Being made fun of was something that Minato had not experienced in quite a while. Only his wife and best friends still did that, but everyone else… The war against Iwagakure had changed how people treated him, as if he was no longer a man, but had become some sort of demi-god- or demon, depending on who you'd ask. "Who are you? What are you?"

"Hmm, I do recall making a promise of explaining everything, telling you who I am and all," Naruto tried to scratch his own chin, but failed miserably. '_Stupid, I'm still made out of flames…'_

"He is your kit," the enormous fox bellowed, not in the mood to fool around.

"Yeah, even though it isn't completely correct, you could say that," Naruto nodded. "I know, it is hard to believe," he continued, seeing Minato's look. "But I sort of died. A short time after I reformed and finally regained my memory, I got dragged into some otherworldly realm. Shitty seals... to think the Uzumaki were… wait, how do I remember that the Uzumaki were masters of fuinjutsu?" Naruto wondered. "Oh, right, Orochimaru! Anyway, your Shiki Fujin caused quite a mess."

Kurama grumbled something in agreement.

"Anyway, when I got out, I realized where I was, I saved Kaa-chan and then I saw you fight that masked idiot. I killed him, by the way, so don't worry about him," Naruto added. "Also, I made a proposition to old Foxy up here."

"Do not cut me in half, human," the Kyuubi practically hissed at Minato.

"How… How did you know," not even Kushina had seen the seals which Minato had prepared in case the Kyuubi would escape. Tearing the creature in half and sealing that half in the stomach of the Shinigami seemed the best way to ensure that Naruto would gain control over the other half of the chakra. It had been a matter for the absolutely worst-case scenario, but this day seemed to fit that bill.

"If I have to be sealed away, I want to remain whole. And I would like decent accommodations as well," the Kyuubi cut in. "A way to get some freedom would be nice too, perhaps through a cloning technique or something, so that I could stretch my legs a bit."

"This… What is going on?" Minato demanded.

"Well, those are his terms for cooperation," Naruto said. He found the change in the Kyuubi rather hilarious, even though it somewhat irked him that the creature had apparently seen something within his memories which he did not yet know. At least, Naruto assumed that he did, or else he wouldn't have been this cooperative. "Anyway, Kurama, before you go in the younger me, could you borrow me some of your chakra? You've got plenty, and I only need a bit to create a proper body. This fire form is freaking annoying: every gust of wind wants to pull me apart."

"Tsk, greedy humans always want _more_," the Bijuu scoffed. "Fine. But if you're going to cheat on me, I'll give the younger you a hellish time."

"Can you get Naruto, Tou-san? I know you don't wanna, but he's the only one capable of containing the Kyuubi. And while I stabilized Kaa-chan, I'm sure you have noticed that she would die if the Kyuubi was sealed within her. And I would like it if this Naruto grew up with his parents, rather than the shitty childhood which I had."

"But Hiruzen-"

"Jiisan tried, but the entire freaking village hated my guts. To them, I was the Kyuubi itself, a living memory of the thing that took the lives of so many. So I expect you will make sure that those idiots treat me better when you guys survive, okay? If they don't, I'll burn them to cinders." Minato nodded dumbly, and hurried away. '_Good. Now I can reform properly,'_ Naruto looked up at the titanic fox. "Oi, Kurama, you ready?"

"Why do humans always see us as chakra batteries?"

"Because you guys are awesome, you more than any of the nine," Naruto smirked, knowing that pride was Kurama's biggest flaw. And a little flattery turned out to be ridiculously effective, Naruto noticed. Although it would never have worked if Kurama hadn't realized the fact that Naruto now somehow had become an essential part of his own resurrection, thus making the fox ease up on the young man.

* * *

"Minato… What is going on? The Kyuubi…"

"Kushina, stay down. You need to remain calm," Minato stopped her attempts at getting up. "The situation is under control."

"The… what? How?"

"I'm not sure either," he had to admit. How was he supposed to tell his wife that the one who had interfered in the chaos had been their son? Minato still had difficulties believing that claim. "I'm going to prepare the Saji Fujin."

"The Surge Consuming Seal?!" Kushina exclaimed. "What are you… That would never keep it within me without- No! No, not out son, I can't allow that to-"

"If you guessed what I'm going to do, you also must know why I'm doing it," Minato cut her off. He had barely ever (if ever) won an argument with his motormouth of a wife, but this time she quieted down. "The loss of the Kyuubi would hurt Konohagakure's reputation, upset the current balance of the Bijuu that were spread over the greater villages, and possibly even trigger war. And if any of the other villages gets their hands on the creature… well, that doesn't even include the damage it would voluntarily inflict on Konoha. It is too powerful to let it roam free, Kushina, and you know it."

"Then seal it back in me."

"If he did that you'll die," a new voice made itself known. "Yo! Kaa-chan, Tou-san," he waved happily as he walked into the clearing where Minato had brought Kushina and Naruto. "I always wished I'd meet you guys one day, although the circumstances could've been better," Naruto joked.

"Kaa… Tou-san?" Kushina stared at the nude young man that walked up to them. He awkwardly held a branch of leaves in front of his crotch, until Minato handed him his white haori, which the man tied around his hip like an impromptu skirt, making him look at bit more modest. He had approximately Minato's physique, albeit leaner. Kushina could see the muscles move underneath his skin, he definitely needed to eat better. The only things that really set him apart were the whisker marks on his cheeks, and his eyes… if those things could even qualify as eyes.

"Ah, yes. I kinda forgot that I hadn't introduced myself properly," Naruto said sheepishly, scratching himself on the back of his blond head. "I'm Uzumaki Naruto."

A blank stare from his mother was all the response he got.

"Yeah, I know, it's hard to believe," Naruto felt oddly nervous. He was talking to his mother for the first time ever, and… well, this just wasn't the sort of conversation he'd prefer at this time, but they had to know. "I'm not _that_ Uzumaki Naruto," he pointed at the quietly sleeping baby Kushina held in her arms. Seriously, how on earth did the little tyke sleep through all of that? How secure did it feel in his mother's arms? "I'm…"

"He claims he is our son from another time," Minato saw the young man struggle to find the words. "He died, and ended up here."

"Sorta," Naruto nodded. "You used a seal that involved the Shinigami, split the Kyuubi, and sealed half of him in me. After twelve years, I died at the hands of the Ichibi's jinchuriki, while Orochimaru used Sunagakure to invade Konoha. From what I gather, I couldn't really die because of the seal you used, Tou-san, as it bound me to Kurama. At the same time, Kurama couldn't respawn because he was split up, and couldn't do some sort of yin-yang thingy to create a new body. So we both ended up stranded somewhere between life and death."

"Kurama?"

Naruto pointed behind him. The giant fox strode through the forest towards them. "His name. Don't worry Kaa-chan, he's not going to do a thing."

"Unfortunately not," Kurama grunted. "But how did you end up in this time?"

"Er, where was I? Oh yes, the revive thing!" Naruto put a fist to his hand when he recalled the point where Kushina had distracted him with her question. "Kurama and I were stranded somewhere in between life and death, but I could see the world of the living. I couldn't really do a thing, except peeking through the… well, I'm not sure how to explain Genkuro to you guys," Naruto sighed.

"Genkuro?" Minato had heard him use the name before.

"I heard from my brethren, those fools who have died at some point in their lives, that it consumes a lot of chakra to revive themselves," Kurama spoke up, the disdain obvious to the three Uzumaki and the Namikaze. "I suppose that 'Genkuro' was an entity which gathered chakra for your revival?"

"Yeah, that!" Naruto nodded. "Only I kinda screwed up by using the only shot I had at manipulating Genkuro for rescuing someone he was about to kill. That's why he got a name, personality, and all that stuff. The other you chewed me out for that already," he chuckled nervously, looking up at Kurama. "But somewhere along the line, he came to fight against a demon called Moryo, who tried to beat Genkuro by forcibly reviving me."

"And that got you here?"

"No, Kurama… Moryo succeeded, and I returned to life for real. What was once Genkuro now is me again, so I wasn't exactly left weakened by the revival, resulting in me still kicking that bastard's ass," Naruto sighed. "But when we sealed that thing, he somehow grabbed me and dragged me along. I ended up in some kind of amazing realm," the blond said dreamily. "Death isn't really all that bad, I suppose. Then again, I still wasn't really dead, because of my link to Kurama- the Kurama of my time, that is. So, I was cast out of that realm, and woke up seeing you, Kaa-chan, who had just given birth to mini-me, while Tou-san was fighting that masked bastard and this Kurama."

"That… sounds impossible."

"Told ya it would be hard to believe," Naruto laughed. "Can't really believe it myself either. Hell, I'm still struggling with the distinction of who Genkuro is and who I am, it all just happened so fast, I never really had time to think about it."

"He has some of my chakra in him," Kurama spoke up when he saw Kushina and Minato exchanging looks. "You must know that chakra always carries some of a person's history with it, their identity. When I scanned through Naruto's chakra, I found chakra of my own, it which carried memories that I never had. It was another me."

"…is this some sort of sick joke?" Kushina frowned. "You honestly think that we are going to believe you? You hate us. Your entire existence is filled with hatred!"

"You humans gave me little reason not to hate," Kurama spat bitterly. "War, murder, deception… all your kind is capable of is evil. And yet you expect-"

"Quit the rants please," Naruto put up his hands. "You both have your grudges, I know, but this isn't the time for that, is it?" he looked at Minato. "Tou-san, can you seal Kurama in his entirety within mini-me without killing him?"

"And in a more comfortable place that the lousy shithole she kept me in," Kurama added pointedly, still staring at Kushina. "No chains, no crucifying, no dreary damp sewers, none of it. And you promised me that I'd be able to stretch my legs after some time," he growled at Naruto – the older one. "Don't think I've forgotten your promises. And don't forget about mine: if any of you break your word, I will stop cooperating and destroy the brat you're sealing me into."

"We are not trying to deceive you, Kyuu… Kurama," Minato stopped his wife from going into a tantrum due to the Bijuu's threat against their son. "But can we trust you?"

"Typically human," Kurama scoffed. "All you do is lie and deceive, so naturally you expect the same of others. We Bijuu have more pride and honor than you pathetic insects!"

"Then I suppose that settles it," Naruto's upbeat tone of voice seemed completely at odds with the nature of the conversation. "Tou-san creates a seal, I supply part of the chakra, and when mini-me is old enough to sustain it, I'll make you a little clone, Kurama."

"How long do I have to wait?"

"Well… if he's about six, by then he should have enough chakra to allow a tiny portion of your chakra to get out on a permanent basis," Naruto scratched his chin. "Though, I'm not sure. In my time, I was pretty much the hated outcast of society. I never really got any proper training. But this time around, I have family! Well, he has. Gheh, it sounds stupid but I'm actually jealous of myself," he added with a wide grin. "I just hope I didn't screw everything up by messing with this timeline."

"Your chakra is remarkably similar to that of Kurama, and based on what you both said, I assume that all of this is true, as unbelievable as it might be. But, wouldn't your actions here have consequences for you too?" Minato frowned. "If the deviations you caused created a chain reaction that would affect the timeline from which you hail, wouldn't that change your life?"

"I already changed things by letting you two survive, yet I remember nothing about you," Naruto shrugged. "So I guess that what I do here doesn't affect me and my timeline. Hell, if it did, I would never have been messed up like this, because Kurama remains whole, so wouldn't I just vanish?"

Staring blankly at his son, Minato could do nothing but shrug. "I don't think anyone has answers to those questions," he looked up at the Kyuubi. "Unless you have some, Kyuu… Kurama?"

"Yeah, do you know a way for me to get back?" Naruto tried not to sound too hopeful. "I kinda had a thing going, so… well, I gotta get back. They'd kill me if I don't!" Sadly, Kurama could only shake his enormous head in denial. Even the bijuu had no knowledge of something like this.

"Naruto?" Kushina frowned when she processed her son's words. At least, he had chakra which was similar to that of Minato and herself, yet also similar to the Kyuubi. Difficult as it might be, she accepted that this was the truth. Although his words seemed to imply something she wasn't mentally prepared for, not at all- not after just having given birth to him. "What is this? What kind of 'thing', and who are 'they'?"

"Erm… I kindamighthaveagirlfriend, kaa-chan," he blurted out, unable to not get anxious with the way his mother glared at him. "I mean, I have a girlfriend. Two, actually," he grinned sheepishly. "I know it is weird, but remember what I said about not being in control? That was Genkuro's doing. And they're fine with it. I can't complain either. I even know a jutsu through which we can share-"

Kushina stared from grown-up-Naruto to baby-Naruto. "Did Jiraiya raise you?" she cut him off.

"Ero-sennin? No, though he did teach me a jutsu or two. Even allowed me to sign the summoning contract for the toads!"

"Ero… for the love of… Minato-kun, please remember that we are going to keep Jiraiya away from our Naruto-chan," Kushina said dangerously. "I don't want another of our sons to be corrupted by that pervert."

"But Kaa-chan…!"

"No but's, mister," Kushina glared. "Two girlfriends… Did our deaths really put you on such a depraved path?"

"Kushina-chan… I'm sure Naruto had good reasons, but shall we move on to the sealing first?" Minato tried to calm his enraged wife. He already pitied Jiraiya, because she would definitely clobber the man at the first opportunity she got.

Naruto took Naruto from her, even though he was as gentle as possible, he still woke his younger self up. To everyone's surprise, however, baby-Naruto stayed silent, his bright blue eyes curiously looking at the older Naruto. "You're going to have a better life than I had, little one," Naruto kissed the baby on his forehead. "This time, you'll have your Tou-san, Kaa-chan, and everyone else. Ero-sennin will be here, just like Sandaime-jiisan. And I'll make sure I'll visit you too. Your life is going to be awesome, mini-me!"

"Aren't you going to stay with us?"

"I wish I could, Kaa-chan… but I need to figure a lot of things out. What I am, how I can get back… and there are certain events I have to change. I don't want my loved ones to suffer the way they did in my time," Naruto deliberately didn't give any names. It just didn't seem fair to him. This Naruto would have a completely different life than him, so anything he'd say about his own life would only unnecessarily affect this one's. Although a few things did cross his mind. "Besides, Jii-san is going to get here soon with several anbu. I think it is better if they don't know about me. I mean, how are we going to explain who and what I am? Tou-san, before we start the sealing, there are a few things I have got to warn you about. Orochimaru of the Sannin is a traitor, someone who did all sorts of gruesome experiments, even before he defected from Konoha. Shortly before my 'death', he tricked Sunagakure into attacking us, even killing the Kazekage and impersonating him. He's going to be very dangerous. The other one you'll have to be careful of is Danzo-"

"Shimura Danzo?" Minato blinked. "The one of the elders of the council?"

"Yeah, that Danzo, that asshole had some kind of shady role in the massacre of the Uchiha clan. The Uchiha had it bad after Kurama's attack on Konoha, and wanted to rebel against Konoha. I suppose it is fair that I warn you about those three things," Naruto shrugged. "It'll probably save you a lot of crap if you know that those things are going to happen. Or at least, they happened in my time. Not sure how my actions already changed things. In fact, I'm kinda freaked out by the idea that telling you guys too much would alter the world so much that I can't see the threats that faced Konoha in my time coming anymore. I got a bit of an advantage now, so I think it would be wise to keep that advantage. Still, I owe Sasuke this much."

"Thank you…"

"I'll visit you guys soon, I promise, but I will have to find someone first," Naruto smiled sadly, thinking of how bad Tayuya's childhood had been. He'd locate her first. Then he planned to go to Sunagakure and change Gaara's situation… He had so many plans, but what would be the consequences? "Oh, Kurama, before I forget… could you please help mini-me to get stronger? He'll need it. That masked dude, Madara, won't be the only one who will try to capture you…"

* * *

In an entirely different time and place, another person also was in a hurry. After all, the mountain was collapsing, so waiting around until he woke up was not an option. But why did he have to be so heavy? All the glory of their victory had vanished when Shion had seen Naruto collapse. Moryo had been defeated, but at what cost?

'_He is still alive. He has a pulse. He is still alive. He breathes slowly. He is still alive. He isn't cold. He is still alive.'_

She kept repeating that 'he's alive' mantra over and over again. What had happened? Why had Moryo laughed, even when it had known that it had been beaten? What had it done to Gen… Naruto? Shion still struggled to understand the sudden changes which Genkuro had gone through in the middle of the battle. How he suddenly had claimed that he was Naruto again: Naruto, the boy that Shion had seen in her dreams, the boy that had perished so many times. But what fate had befallen him this time?

Moryo's defeat had destabilized the volcano, and it was about to erupt. The tremors terrified the young priestess, as it seemed as if the whole chamber would collapse, or be filled with magma. Neither of the two options was very appealing to her, so she had to run, that was the thought that took control of her. It was just that… Naruto had dragged her out of the abyss, had protected her while disregarding his own safety, and had never asked for a single thing in return. The old Shion could've left him behind and would have made a run for it on her own, but something had changed. There had been so much death, so much senseless violence, that she couldn't bear the guilt of one more. So even if she wasn't trained, even if she was weak and helpless, she still half-carried, half-dragged Naruto. If it really was her fate to die, then she'd do it alongside someone like him, and with no more regrets than she already had.

She was prepared to pay the price for her own weakness and foolishness, yet the mountain had a will of its own, it seemed. Perhaps it really just wasn't her fate to die today, Shion couldn't say, but she made it out of the shrine, out of the mountain, without any serious injuries. There was this one falling rock that had hit her arm, rendering the limb useless, but she couldn't really feel any pain. Every second seemed to last an eternity, each step was an achievement of its own, but she did it. She had saved her savior.

All that was left to her now was a task which, now that she thought about it, was almost just as fearsome: she would have to tell Temari and Tayuya what happened. Throughout the journey, the clingy trio had seemingly developed a relationship which was of a romantic nature, something which had annoyed Shion at first, as her cold mentality had numbed her heart even to such matters. But now that she had met her mother again, now that she had been freed from her burden, Shion reconsidered what she felt. It was actually still annoyance, although this time it was due to jealousy.

'_Fate is a cruel mistress,'_ Shion sighed, looking at the comatose body of Uzumaki Naruto. The fire had been extinguished in his eyes, leaving only empty sockets. And the cute whisker marks he had suddenly grown didn't give him the same boyish appearance anymore. It just… it seemed sad.

"What happened to Genkuro?"

"Oi, priestess, what happened to him!?"

"Genkuro? Hey, don't play dead like that. Genkuro! Talk to us!"

The mountain exploded at the same moment as Shion's emotions, with her heart finally catching up with all the grief of these last months, years, where all whom she had cared about had perished. And now Naruto had… whatever had happened to him, Shion feared the worst. Water ran down her face like magma did down the mountain slopes.

* * *

_Author's notes_:

* * *

Yup. The Temari and Tayuya that you know haven't changed one bit, so no one has to worry about the alterations by Naruto affecting them. This implies I am working with two separate timelines. And "coincidentally" I just happened to have another fic going where some mysterious fellow popped up out of the blue to rescue Minato and Kushina…

Yeah. You can say that I was truly surprised that no one guessed it after the previous chapter! I wrote the story **Apophenia**, which is intertwined with this time travel plot, to show the 'other' Naruto's life. Note that this does _**not**_ make Apophenia a sequel or prequel, but rather a story which runs parallel to Pareidolia.

Does that make me insane? Perhaps. I'm not sure. (Doubt is a sign of sanity, right?) Personally, I haven't seen anyone try something like this before, so I hope I'm indeed as original as I think I am. We're here to create new stuff, after all. Whether the idea is good or not is something I leave up to your judgement. But I didn't want to create a complete chaos by telling the storylines of two Naruto's at the same time. Therefore, I created the separate yet connected story for baby Naruto (mini-me) in Apophenia, while continuing to focus on the 'future' Naruto (Genkuro) in this story. This allows me to skip everything that isn't seen by Pareidolia's Naruto in this story, putting that stuff in Apophenia, and vice versa.

Credits to **Illuminated** for improving the readability of the chapter (or actually, the entire story to date), and all you people who keep me going through your **reviews**!

* * *

-Z-


	22. Honor thy father

**Pareidolia**

* * *

**Chapter twenty one**

**Honor thy father**

* * *

"_We cannot always build the future for our youth, but we can build our youth for the future."_

― Franklin D. Roosevelt

* * *

As he wandered through the canopy of the lush forest, Uzumaki Naruto pondered about himself- about whom he was, or rather: what he was. Factually, he knew he could call himself Namikaze Naruto now, son of the Yondaime Hokage Namikaze Minato and his wife Uzumaki Kushina. Still, Naruto had always been called 'Uzumaki', and saw little reason to change that. Proud as he was about who his father was (is?) he felt equal love for his mother.

After giving birth, and having Kurama extracted from her, she still tried to fight to defend her baby. The memory of her fierce expression warmed his heart. Even if this was a different time, it showed him how much his parents from his timeline had cared for him. Uzumaki Naruto was no longer a lone orphan. He had lost his parents, yet through this unbelievable turn of events, he had still gotten a chance to meet them before he'd drew his final breath and joined them in the afterlife.

To be loved… the comforting feeling was quite different from anything he ever could've dreamed. Before, he'd only known love from Temari and Tayuya, and that was a different sort of love. They had explained that thoroughly enough, to Genkuro, but that also meant it was explained to him.

Naruto sighed.

Where did one begin and the other end? The entity named 'Genkuro' had originally been an empty shell of him, brought into the world to gather the energy necessary to trigger his return from that empty realm between life and death. Yet, rather than using the lingering energy that he had to pave his way into the world of the living, Naruto had, both in the best of intentions and in total ignorance, used that energy to rescue a lost girl. He had prevented the emotionless shell from killing Temari, yet in the process, he had nearly ruined himself. Because of her, the mirror had developed, had been taught, and had grown into Genkuro.

Naruto remembered every little thing Genkuro had done, as if he had done it himself. Genkuro and Naruto were one and the same, after all: two sides of the same coin. Genkuro's memories were his own, stored in the same hall. However, Genkuro's actions were not a consequence of Naruto's choices, at least not directly. Knowing his motivations, however, Naruto could hardly argue against them. Rather, Genkuro's memories upset his own state of mind, fundamentally changing his view on the world.

There were regrets, naturally. His part in the deaths of his old friends took a prominent place in those regrets. What happened to Hinata tore at his heart, while the guilt about Neji's and Tenten's deaths weighed him down just as much. Still, Naruto did not know who they were at the time (Genkuro didn't), while they attacked him, Temari, and Tayuya. The Konoha team had put him in a position where inaction was just as dangerous as action. Or not? No, now that Naruto thought about it, Temari and Tayuya were the most important people in his life at this time. He loved them. Still did. It was confusing when he considered whether he had a right to love them, as they had fallen for Genkuro (which was him, sorta, but not entirely).

Thinking about the distinction between him and Genkuro was tiring.

In any case, Konoha had been after them, and if any of the shinobi had escaped, word might have gotten out about Temari (sought by Suna and Iwa) or Tayuya (sought by Otogakure), complicating things even further. Naruto sighed again. '_It doesn't matter anymore. It happened. I couldn't change it, and even if I tried to reason why I did it… in the end their deaths are wrong, no matter how I look at it. But I can't let it stop me. I'm the only one who knows how bad the world gets. I'm the only one able to change things. This time won't go wrong as mine did.'_

He noticed a good spot to spend the night, sheltered between the trees. Night was coming soon, and he needed to meditate, just like Ero-sennin had taught him. Hinata had shown him the path leading to his own memories. This night, he needed to review all of Genkuro's memories: relive them, and reassess himself.

Most importantly, he needed to review the memories he had of Tayuya's origins. Temari wouldn't be too difficult to locate, but the redhead would be more problematic. He needed to find her before her parents sold her off.

"Damn… I warned Tou-san about Orochimaru. If that snake-teme is out of the picture, there's no telling who might buy Tayuya-chan if I don't get to her first," Naruto realized with a frustrated groan. "Stupid. Stupid, stupid, stupid. Ugh, no time to waste then. Because I've got no clue where to look for her…"

* * *

A young kunoichi travelled through the tree line. She was only twelve, yet already an accomplished genin – almost chunin if she were to believe her sensei's words of praise. "Her sensei." The girl was still proud beyond words that a no-name orphan like her managed to get a famous man like Orochimaru to become her sensei. Or rather, that he had sought her out instead of she seeking him. Because his eye had fallen on "a talented young kunoichi," he had said.

Talented she was. Talented enough to be entrusted to do this C-rank mission all by herself. It was only the delivery of a message, yet still… communications between the Hokage's office and the border was an important task. To leave it to a single twelve year-old girl was quite something – at least to her it was. Well, it probably was due to the Kyuubi's attack that Konoha had been understaffed enough for Minato to send even children out to deliver these messages, enabling their elders to help rebuilding the village, she admitted.

However, Mitarashi Anko was nothing if not proud. She'd rather look at the positive than waste time bothering with stupid things like 'context'.

While not the most intelligent, she was undoubtedly very perceptive. She was a girl with sharp senses and a keen mind for on-the-fly decisions, even if she was a far cry from a strategist or good logical thinker. Those sharp senses were now coming into play when she noticed a man, seemingly sleeping.

He wore nothing but a white piece of cloth around his hips, covering his… Anko blushed. Brash, yes, but the girl was still only twelve- and this red-haired man was definitely not unattractive. He was probably a shinobi, considering his muscular build, yet Anko saw no hitai-ate. Much to her shock, she did recognize the cloth, on closer inspection.

It was the cloak of the Yondaime Hokage.

* * *

Uzumaki Naruto woke up, feeling something cold stinging against his neck. Someone said something, but he was too drowsy to process it properly. Somewhere during the night, he had fallen into a state that mostly resembled sleep. In some sort of auto-pilot mode, he had sifted through the memory-mirrors that had been made while Genkuro had been in control of his body. Usually, that wasn't that difficult a task, but his return had messed things up within his mind.

The hall in which the mirrors stood was also filled with all the mirrors that belonged to Naruto's first life. Because Moryo had forcibly returned him to the world of the living, that hall had become quite the disorganized mess. One moment, he had been four, scurrying around in search for food, the other moment he had been a detached being of flames who fed on every source of chakra if could find. One moment, he was staring in the mirror, glaring at himself, lonely and pained. The other moment he was sitting in the water, making love with Tayuya.

As such, the little memory trip left him rather dazed and confused. Also, a little frustrated– that last memory was just getting to the good bit!

"Who are you, why are you wearing that cape?"

He heard a girl talk to him, with a rather aggressive voice too. He wanted to ignore her, preferring to focus on the dream he just had. Not feeling the connection he used to have with Tayuya made him feel lonely. Odd, considering how it was Genkuro who had done this in order to pull Orochimaru out of her soul without getting her killed, but still… Genkuro's memories were his memories.

So, he just sighed. "Who're you?"

"I'm the one asking questions, numbskull," the girl growled, pressing her kunai against his throat even tighter. It seemed rather familiar, now that he thought about it. "Talk!"

"This is quite similar to what happened during my chunin exams," Naruto chuckled. The girl's age was right, the voice (albeit definitely younger) was also recognizable, and the purple hair only served to make it even more obvious. "Why are you attacking someone from Konoha, Anko-chan?"

"Prove that you're from Konoha," she urged, visibly confused that he knew her name.

"Neh, I won't," Naruto smiled. Faster than her eyes could track, his hands moved and disarmed her. She tried to jump away, but he had already gotten hold of her wrist.

"Sen'eijashu! (Hidden Shadow Snake Hands)"

He merely laughed at the jutsu. The snakes bit him, but the poison was utterly ineffective. He had fire running through his veins, and the poisons were easily enough converted into a more beneficial energy. "Again, that won't work, Anko-chan. Though I never knew you were already this skilled at your age. Now sleep…" his other hand moved to her forehead. "Sleep and be warned, Anko-chan. Even if your sensei is my enemy, you are merely a victim to his schemes; others might not be so understanding."

Yes, while it was true that Minato had a shortage of capable shinobi, or at least while there were so many injured, Anko and her fellow teammates were sent on missions for different reasons. Naruto did not know, but his forcing her into a comfortable sleep spared her from the sight of her sensei getting discovered and slain by the combined efforts of the Yondaime and Sandaime.

Not that she'd easily forget the man who'd knocked her out like that, as her sleep was a tad _too_ comfortable, developing a slight obsession for red-haired men later on. She wasn't the first to find out about the addictive qualities of Naruto's warmth, nor the last…

Still, her night of pleasurable dreams prevented her from getting involved in the mess that ended her sensei's life. She had been so eager to prove herself, travelling at higher speeds than Minato had anticipated, so her chance encounter with Naruto was a blessing in disguise, for her, at least. For Minato, it complicated things: how was he going to explain that a stranger was walking around with his cloak? At least Naruto had changed his hair color, or else people might have gotten too close to the truth. With his original hair color, he looked far too similar to his father – it was not a risk he was willing to take.

Still, the sighting only fed the rumors that someone strange, with fire instead of eyes, had been involved, aiding in stopping the Kyuubi and the miraculous rescue of Kushina – because every medic in Konoha (Tsunade included, when consulted later on) was baffled by how she had survived the extraction. In addition, none recognized the lingering chakra left by Naruto. It wasn't human, nor was it that of a bijuu, but…

The sighting of someone unknown, wearing the cloak of the Yondaime, fed the speculation about what might have had happened during the night of the attack. Fortunately, most of the conspiracy theorists started looking at Orochimaru, after the current and former Hokage took the man down, and forgot about Naruto's sighting.

Unfortunately, there were also plenty who didn't care about the truth. Those people simply blamed the Uchiha.

* * *

**Three years after Moryo**

* * *

The laughter of children resounded from the little streets of a small village. Hidden as it was in a mountainous area, it hadn't been easy to find, even for a shinobi. This was obviously the point, considering that the village was the base from which a band of bandits (and/or mercenaries) operated. They controlled their region with a firm grip, although they offered their 'services' to anyone who either had enough to pay them or who was simply too strong for them to defeat. These services usually amounted to the bandits guiding people through this maze of mountains, as they knew every slope and canyon, moving around with an ease that surprised many a shinobi.

Their favorite tactic, for example, was to create avalanches against shinobi. A tide of rock or snow was usually enough to bury any unsuspecting team, leaving the bandit to dig up the corpses and gather their loot. Shinobi usually had something of value, at least, to those with the right contacts. Even corpses could bring surprising amounts of money on the black market.

These thugs were mostly untrained in the ways of the shinobi, yet some of them possessed enough resourcefulness to make the more basic things work, like simple sealing scrolls. They were invaluable if you wanted to properly preserve a corpse, or transport large amounts of goods.

Did they have access to proper ninjutsu? Naruto guessed not, as he had entered the perimeter without anyone noticing. Any shinobi would cast up wards or barriers, or at least have sentries who would have noticed him. These thugs were too complacent.

Then again, in times of winter it wasn't very likely that anyone would get through the pass that led to this village. Anyone but Naruto would likely freeze to death, or wear himself out in the vast amounts of snow. Naruto didn't really care.

He wasn't able to conjure up firestorms like before, but he still had no shortage of warmth. He still called his energy 'warmth'. Genkuro had been right: what he wielded wasn't exactly chakra. It was more than just chakra. Strangely, Naruto had always had a hard time refilling his reserves since being stranded in this time.

An exploration through the halls of mirrors had shown him why. There was one hall, a hall which had doors greater than any other, behind which a demonic energy could be felt. But that door was closed. Or rather: there was no opening. Not a single cranny or budge could be found, it looked like a door but its surface was exactly like the walls around it. It was as if it was merely a drawn door, like a painting on the wall.

It led to the inevitable conclusion: Kurama was out of reach. As long as Naruto couldn't restore Kurama's mirrors, he couldn't return the Kyuubi either. Being disconnected and unable to enter the fox's hall of memories, Naruto was at an impasse. The situation royally sucked, in his opinion, as he had hoped that by gaining access to Kurama he'd possibly find a way to return to his own time.

'_Stranded,'_ Naruto sighed. '_Just like you are, am I not?'_

Dressed in jackets of thick fur, children were playing in the snow. Their elders were watching, deceptively peaceful, in similar dress. Armed against the cold, this population of bandits had made reserves that would last them through the coldest parts of winter, the time during which they couldn't access the world outside this pass. Well, to say that they 'made' the reserves would be too generous- the majority of the food had been stolen from the farming villages down the mountains.

A few of the men sat outside the building that Naruto had been looking for. The building was somewhat bigger than the others, the home of the bandit leader. A red-haired woman walked out, carrying several bottles. Naruto couldn't hear what was being said, but when the woman tried to say something back, the largest man hit her right in the face.

"Such heroism," Naruto shook his head. "Then again, what else did I expect from this shithole?"

Jumping down from the rooftop he had crouched upon, he calmly walked towards the bandit leader and his goons. Busily drinking, they didn't immediately notice the red-haired stranger walking towards them. When they did, a rather hilarious situation erupted where every man, most of them already too inebriated to stand firm, sought his weapon.

The smirk adorning Naruto's face only pissed them off more. Petty criminals? Check. Alcoholics? Check. Yep, these people just confirmed every idea Naruto had about them. They were simpleminded fools, cruel in their stupidity, yet easy to scare. In short, they were the common type of coward of which Naruto had met plenty in these last three years. Searching amongst bandits had led to him meeting quite the number of unsavory people.

And people wondered why there were so few bandits in the border regions these days…

"Gentlemen," Naruto bowed mockingly. "It took me quite some time to find you."

"Who da fuck are jew?"

"I suppose you meant 'you', rather than 'jew'," Naruto sighed. Drunk people always made poor linguists. A sword was then raised, pointing at Naruto's chest. "I've come here, searching for someone," he ignored the blade. After all, what could it do? Scratch him? He wasn't really in his prime, yet still Uzumaki Naruto did not have to worry about injuries. Restoring them was easy as pie.

"Sazanka! Look at his eyes! What the hell is this guy?"

Ah, at least one of them was sober enough to notice what was going on. Normal people couldn't enter this village this time of the year. Normal people did not have churning orbs of fire as eyes. Normal people… hadn't eliminated the few sentries they had placed around town. Yep, Uzumaki Naruto entered unnoticed by the village. None of these poor excuses of human beings warning the rest counted as 'unnoticed', right?

* * *

A red-haired girl sat in a dark corner of her room, staring through the window. Wearing a lonely expression, she stared out into infinity with her legs pulled up and pressed against her chest, and her arms wrapped tightly around them, as if she wanted to curl up in defense against everything around her. Other children were playing outside, and their laughter reached to the girl's room.

Sighing, the girl started to mumble something.

Life wasn't fair. It never was. She didn't have many others to compare herself with, but nevertheless she knew that something was terribly wrong. For one: her father didn't love her, at all. Her mother... well, her mother did what her father said, she knew that much. If nothing else, mother was obedient. And urged her to do the same. Mother didn't want that she'd get beaten up too.

When did everything change? Was it last spring? She couldn't really remember it all too well. All she did was play a little on the flute one of her father's men had brought home. She played, and then everyone freaked out. She hadn't gotten outside often, after that day. Following that, her father had barely looked at her anymore. Her mother treated her like she was walking on eggshells.

This little girl had grown up in a village of thugs, never having known a proper way of life. The men went out on raids, came back with the spoils, while women were expected to look after the house and after the kids. Besides that, women had to be obedient before anything else. If not, they would go 'on vacation', mother had once explained. Those women never returned. Whatever happened, she didn't really understand. But, there was a lot of crying and screaming involved, making her terrified beyond all reason.

But for a girl who'd never experienced anything else, that was normal. It was normal that people killed each other. It was normal that corpses were sold for money. Morality, if taught in such a way, was utterly skewed. People just did what they were taught to be right, and called it right. That's the way the world works, and the little girl was no exception. She didn't see any evil in the way her village operated.

She did, however, know that something was wrong with how she was treated. She heard the other children scream and laugh, playing in the snow without a care in the world, while she was locked in her room again. Sometimes, mother read her stories before she went to bed: stories about brave samurai, rescuing princesses.

She wondered if one day a samurai would come to rescue her, to liberate her from her parents, to free her from this _prison_. No, the little girl held little love for her parents. Even in her little village, the other children were treated much better.

Then there were muffled sounds, something that sounded like someone snapped a drumstick, and bottles ringing. The glass falling over the paving stones was a familiar sound, heard often enough whether father and his friends were drinking. The muffled sounds, the curses, and soon after that, the screaming and shouting… that was new.

'_Bad new? Or good new?_' she wondered.

"You can't do this!" she heard her mother scream. "Not our daughter!"

"I do what I fucking want to do," father grunted. "You saw what happened to Fujio! We can't fight that bastard, so I'm giving him what he wants."

"You can't sell her! She's our daughter. She is _my_ daughter!" She heard her mother becoming more hysterical than she'd ever heard before, but it was all for nought. Even from the other side of the door, the girl heard the punch that floored her mother.

The door was thrown open, and the brown-haired man that was her father barged in the room. The girl gasped, not accustomed to seeing her father covered in blood like this. Sure, he returned with cuts every once in a while, but he was the leader – he was the mind of the little troop of bandits. He usually just outsmarted people, and only rarely found himself in situations where he too could get injuries. And if something went wrong, he'd have others to catch the arrows for him. He always made sure of that.

Today was one of those days when nothing went as it should, though. Without a word he grabbed the little girl by her arm, dragging her out of the house while ignoring her protests.

"Here she is," father growled. "I'm not sure how the fuck you heard of her, but if you want her she's yours."

"I told you that we could avoid that unnecessary drama," the response came. The voice was unlike any the little girl had heard. It was warm, gentle almost, much unlike the rough voices of the men within this village. A red-haired man, only wearing a thin white shirt and white pants of the same fabric, stood in front of her. When the girl looked up, she whimpered.

His eyes. The man had no eyes. No eyes like she ever heard of, at least. There was just… liquid fire, bright red and orange, swirling in the place where his eyes should have been.

"Don't worry, little one," she heard his calming voice again. Who was he? What was he? "You're going with me."

"Tou-san?"

"Do as he says, you useless brat! And don't ever call me _Tou-san_ again," he spat. Whatever it was, the girl didn't know how or when it happened, but her father was suddenly on the ground. Judging by his confused look, he didn't know either.

"I told you that bad things happen to those who show such disrespect." The fire-eyed man said it without a care in the world, as if all her father's friends weren't pointing their weapons at him. The girl couldn't fathom what was going on, not until one of the men foolishly tried to attack the fire-eyed man.

The girl couldn't remember the man's name, but did recall that she used to play on the streets with his daughter, who was only a year older. He died screaming, consumed by a torrent of flames.

"Tsk, and I even was nice enough to bring money," the fire-eyed man shook his head. "Come with me, little one. It's time to leave this shitty little village."

"B-but… the snow," the girl protested.

"Oh, don't worry 'bout that. You're not going to be cold while you're around me. I'm going to keep you safe and sound," he smiled. "That's a promise of a lifetime!"

He offered her a hand, which she hesitantly accepted. To her surprise, eliciting a soft cry, he pulled her up and placed her on his shoulders. "This'll go faster," he explained. "Hold on tightly, okay?"

"O-o-okay?"

She stuttered- she sounded weak, and she didn't want that. Father hated that. It annoyed him when she sounded weak. He'd throw stuff at her, call her a monster. Yet, the flame-eyed man didn't seem to care about her fear. It was as if he understood. If nothing else, the little girl got the feeling that he radiated some sort of comforting aura.

He leapt; in one go, he was on top of a nearby roof. She wanted to scream in terror, but didn't get the chance. He was already on the move. Wind whistled around her, her long red hair was fluttering behind her. Her hair was not as deeply red as the flame-eyed man, but… well, she had her mother's hair. It was a dark pink, or light red, depending on the lighting.

Fear was soon replaced by a strange sense of elation. It was almost as if she was flying. Impossible! What this man did was utterly impossible.

"Remember, hold on tight," he reminded her once more – his breath still as calm as if he was completely rested. "No matter what I'm going to do, don't let go. Promise?"

"…"

"You heard me, right?"

"Y-yeah. I promise, I promise," the girl hurried. "Please don't hurt me!"

"Don't be daft, Tayuya-chan," he laughed. She didn't know how he knew her name. Nor did she care at the moment. This man, this lunatic, he just leapt down a cliff… "I searched for you for three entire years, there's no way in hell that I'm going to hurt you."

He was lucky the little girl had lost her voice, otherwise she would've screamed until his eardrums blew up. People weren't supposed to leap down cliff—sides, and yet he did. Idiot. Baka. Fire-eyes or not, she thought he was a giant baka.

The samurai in her mother's stories were nothing like this madman.

* * *

"Why?"

It had been two days, and he wondered when she'd finally start asking questions. Four, nearly five, year old children should be more inquisitive, he supposed. Then again, he had pretty much snatched her from her home while threatening her parents and killing a few thugs who were probably close to her family. If anything, he was surprised she had remained so calm during it all. Well, aside from using some curse words no child of her age should know, after he had jumped down a little cliff or two. Oh well. Such language was to be expected from the daughter of a bandit leader. Also, this was a trait which the Tayuya he knew had as well. Foul language simply seemed to be part of the deal.

"Why what?"

"Why me?"

"Because you are Tayuya," he chuckled when he saw her confusion, and the ensuing frustration.

"That's no answer!"

"To me it is."

"No fair," she pouted. "Why did Tou-san give me to you?"

After a pause, "Did you like you father, Tayuya?"

"No," she blurted out, before she realized what she was saying. Even at this distance, she was afraid of the man, looking around as if he would suddenly jump at her from behind one of the surrounding trees.

"Then I will explain," Naruto nodded, his playful attitude shifting into a more serious face. "Your father would have sold you somewhere in the near future. You would be sold to a travelling merchant, who would eventually offer you to a bad man. This bad man would train you, make you suffer. I wished to prevent that."

It was mindboggling, and he could see she couldn't keep up with what he said, or the implication of what he had said – that he knew her future. Had she been a little older, she would've immediately dismissed those words as nonsense, but her childish mind moved itself in ways to accept it.

"Tayuya, we would eventually meet… years from now," other people likely would have thought things through a bit more thoroughly, but this was Uzumaki Naruto. Impromptu decisions were his forte. Considering all the possible consequences, on the other hand… well, that was where Temari usually came in. While Tayuya was just as smart as the blonde, she was far more impulsive than Temari. Temari had been the orderly one, whereas Tayuya was the chaotic one.

"You know me?" The little girl tried to fathom it.

"Yup. I know the Tayuya you eventually will become. She's a person very, very dear to me."

The little girl looked up and saw his sad yet caring smile. Obviously she was someone important to him. But… she hadn't met him at all! Yet. She tried to wrap her mind around it, but the result left her unsatisfyingly blank.

"Let's just say, I got into an accident," he smiled gently when he saw her think – it was odd how you could sometimes just _see_ people think. "I'm a shinobi; weird shit happens to us, you know. Although I bet I'm the weirdest guy who's ever set foot on this world. Unless there are aliens, but that would be ridiculous."

"Aliens?"

"Yeah, like people who live on the moon," he shrugged. "I know it is stupid, but some people actually believe it. I mean, who'd wanna live on a lifeless rock like that?"

Those big brown eyes still held that quizzical look that kids usually give when adults talk about something that flies completely over their heads.

"I'm rambling."

She nodded sagely.

"Well, you're important to me, little one, because I know the 'you' I've met several years from now. You are not her, I'm well aware of that, and I'm in no way going to compare you to her, but I vowed to make sure your life would be better than hers. So, I'm going to take care of you now- probably spoil you rotten," he scratched at his chin. "Unless you don't wanna, of course. I can always take you to Konoha. I've got some friends there who wouldn't mind looking after you. Choice is yours."

"Are you going to lock me up?"

"Lock you up? No," he chuckled. "You can do whatever you want. I'm not going to shout at you, hit you, lock you up, or whatever your Tou-san did. I'm going to make sure your life is better than that!"

While she didn't process everything he said (he had a tendency of rambling, it seemed), she did understand the key point: he offered her to look after her. Alternatively, he could bring her to a safe place, to people he called friends. She… she didn't like that last option. It sounded too much like being left behind. She didn't want to be unwanted any longer. She wanted what the other kids in her village had.

"Are you going to be my Tou-san now?" she asked shyly, looking away from him. She didn't dare to look at him, afraid to see his scowl. Hell, she barely dared to listen, afraid to hear the harsh words which she thought he would utter- the denial, the rejection. If she was to be thrown aside, she'd rather have it happen now.

On his end, he was utterly flabbergasted. Her father? This was the girl he… she and he had… now it was his mind that was on the verge of shutting down due to an information overload. He needed a quick reset. It was easy to separate the two. There were two; Tayuya, the one he loved and had made love with, was a girl from his own time. This Tayuya was a child, who had no memories of what her future self would be. She was innocent, a blank slate who hadn't yet been hurt by all the things that had happened to her. This girl seemed to see his extended hand and clung onto it, desperately. Still, that she'd call him her father was… unexpected was the gentlest word that came to mind.

"Of course you can call me your Tou-san, Tayuya-chan," he smiled widely, though not so widely when she flew in his arms. '_Man… this is freaking awkward. How am I going to explain my relation to the Tayuya of my time? I'm probably better off avoiding that subject. She's barely five years old, it's too early for the birds and the bees. On the other hand… if I get back, it would be weird to explain to Tayuya-chan that I adopted her as my daughter.'_

Time travel was fucking weird.

"Why do you have those strange nines on your neck, Tou-san?"

"Ugh…" She just _had_ to pick the one subject that was even weirder.

* * *

_Author's notes_:

* * *

Short chapter? Maybe, but the next one is coming soon. Very soon. It's the result of the original chapter getting too long, thus getting cut in two!

Doing the time-travel thing midway offered a rather weird opportunity to make this NaruTayuTema story also one where Naruto acts as Tayuya's father. Please don't confuse the two Tayuya though. Just to clarify things for now and ever: there is no way I'm going to advocate in favor of a pairing between Naruto and a child… that's just sick. Then again, there's an entire market for that lolicon stuff. Disgusting, if you ask me. Just as demented as the whole range of incest-fics that can be found… I'd never be able to write such stuff.

Anyway, my thanks, as always, goes to the rhyming-badder-than-Bee **Illuminated**, as well as everyone who leaves **reviews**! Without feedback I would never improve, let alone remain motivated.

Lastly: if there are questions regarding the whole time travel idea, or the way Pareidolia and Apophenia are linked, **please ask**. If necessary, I'll put up a Q&amp;A as an appendix in the next chapter, and explain my view on things more thoroughly. Mind you, I won't be handing out spoilers.

* * *

-Z-


	23. Leviathan

**Pareidolia**

* * *

**Chapter twenty two**

**Leviathan**

* * *

"_I am a tiny seashell  
that has secretly drifted ashore  
and carries the sound of the ocean  
surging through its body."_

― Edward Hirsch

* * *

"Faster Tou-san, faster!" she giggled loudly. "Faster!"

"As you wish, my little Tayu-hime," he chuckled. He made sure she was firmly in place. Sitting on his shoulders, she seemed to get a kick out of high-speed travel. Naruto being Naruto, he had no problems indulging her in this matter. After an hour or so, however, even he began to run out of gas.

"Where are we going, Tou-san?"

"Kirigakure."

"Why?"

Naruto lost count of how many times she had asked that question now. 'Why' seemed to be her favorite word. Was it because her actual parents had never explained things properly when she had questions? The Tayuya of his time was far less inquisitive. He considered it. She was a bright girl, yet could ask the strangest questions. She seemed to have been isolated. Besides, her parents weren't exactly smart, not making the best teachers. The Tayuya of his time had been subject to Orochimaru, a man who hadn't exactly been the kindest person in the world either. So perhaps she had simply lost this trait after all she had gone through?

"Kirigakure no Sato is a village with a lot of shinobi, who-"

"Shinobi like you, Tou-san?"

"Hmm… I doubt you'll ever meet anyone who's even remotely similar to me, Tayuya-chan. But technically, yes: there are a lot of shinobi in that village. There is one in particular, however, that I have to speak to."

"Why?"

"Because I am curious about whether he can be a friend of mine or not."

"Why?"

"Because."

"Because?"

"Because because."

"That's no answer," the little girl pouted.

"Well, your question would lead to answers that are beyond your understanding, Tayuya-chan," he patted her on her unruly hair. "Don't worry 'bout it. It'll be fun!"

* * *

"Is this fun?"

"Hm. I seemed to have underestimated things a little…"

"You think?"

"Only a little," Naruto smirked. The two had travelled closer and closer to Kirigakure, until one day they were ambushed, surrounded by at least a dozen shinobi – loyal ones. "Yo," he carelessly greeted the rather hostile-looking shinobi. Judging by the sword, this guy would be the leader, at least, if he correctly recalled the things he had learned from his run-in with Zabuza, the seven swordsmen were amongst the elite of Kiri.

"Who are you?" It seemed Naruto had guessed right, this time. "Why are you here?"

"My name… well, let's keep it at Genkuro," Naruto ignored the confused look Tayuya gave him. She knew he was Uzumaki Naruto, but these guys would be very suspicious of him if he used that name. And he didn't want this linked to Konoha.

"What are you doing here, Genkuro?" the rather large man demanded. Large? No, this guy was huge. He had to be over eight feet tall, and he wasn't the skinny type either, which made him large in both senses of the word. On the other hand, he wielded a rather huge blade, making Naruto wonder if he wasn't overcompensating for something else. Perhaps he was not 'huge' in that meaning of the word, apparently.

"Who's the fish-guy, Tou-san?"

"He's one of Kirigakure's seven swordsmen, Tayuya-chan," he patted her on the head. Although there weren't seven of them anymore, if what Jiraiya said about Maito Dai's sacrifice was true. "Now, be a good girl and stay behind Tou-san. And stay close to me."

The swordsman had shark-like teeth, which unnerved the little girl. She didn't need to be told twice to hide behind her father.

'_That's Samehada, isn't it? Orochimaru's memories stated that it belonged to Hoshigaki Kisame. Hm, apparently that sword still has to switch hands. Regardless of who holds it, that blade is annoying. Fighting the blade's chakra absorption would be a pain in the ass for as long as I can't efficiently absorb chakra myself. Is it because I'm disconnected from the Kurama of my time?'_ Naruto frowned a little. "We've come here to meet Yagura, Mizukage of Kirigakure no Sato."

"Why?" the large man demanded. "Why not send a letter, instead of coming here in person?"

"Some warnings are worth being delivered in person," Naruto shrugged. "In our world, we gotta be careful when spreading important information, right?"

"And what kind of important information would that be?"

"That's for your kage's ears only. But… let's say that it concerns the beast sealed within him. And the one sealed within Utakata-san, for that matter."

"Jinchuriki?" the man stared pensively. "Utakata is a traitor, through."

"Really? Darn," Naruto scowled. "I'm sorry, I wasn't aware of that yet." He'd have to send a letter to Jiraiya about this matter. His being unaffiliated to Kiri would improve the chances of getting Utakata on their side.

"…"

"Fuguki-sama, should we kill them?"

"Yeah, how can we know for sure whether this isn't just some sort of trap?"

"He could be here just to attack Yondaime-sama!"

"Silence," Fuguki snarled. He was by far the tallest of the group, and probably all of Kiri for that matter. Suikazan Fuguki was a veteran, even amongst the seven swordsmen of the Mist. Although that experience wasn't the sole thing giving him leverage over these men. Simply put, he was rather intimidating.

He had small round eyes and sharp jagged teeth. His hair was long and bright orange, which reached into his back with some pinned up at the top of his head. He had six green stripes on his face. Face paint, Naruto guessed, which wasn't an unusual method for shinobi to make themselves look more intimidating. Fuguki wore a striped jumpsuit, hidden underneath a black outfit, as well as a white cloak. For some odd reason, he also had bandages wrapped loosely around his neck.

What drew Naruto's attention, however, was not the man's appearance, but rather his chakra reserves. This man made Zabuza look like a kid. Combined with a chakra-absorbing blade, this sort of opponent was not one that Naruto could let his guard down around.

"Fuguki-sama?" One of the underlings wondered what their leader had decided.

"If he came here to cause trouble, he would have been stealthier. Plus, he would not have brought his kid along."

"Yep. So, I'd rather pass on my message," Naruto nodded. "The sooner I've informed Yagura-sama, the sooner me and my kid can hit the road again."

"Fine. We will escort you. Samehada seems to like you," he added, as if that explained everything. Naruto was glad that they didn't waste time on his eyes, wondering what he might be. Then again, to a guy who looked like a giant pufferfish, Naruto probably looked rather ordinary in comparison.

'_It's good not being the freaky one for once,'_ he smiled. "Come on, Tayuya-chan. With you on my shoulders we'll move faster, so that we don't need to waste the time of these gentlemen."

"'kay," she happily let herself be lifted up.

* * *

Considering the things he was taught at the academy, he had not pictured Kirigakure to be anything like _this_. The 'bloody mist', as the village was called, had always left the impression on Naruto that it was an extremely barbaric place, run-down, with fights everywhere. Of course, with the exception of one or two shinobi, he did not expect anyone to make things really difficult for him. Besides, he wasn't here for trouble. If things had felt wrong, he'd have bailed.

He wasn't going to risk Tayuya's safety.

Idly, he wondered how the Tayuya he knew in his time would have reacted to this village. Cylindrical buildings, often several floors high, were spread throughout the village. It was a rather mountainous island. Yeah, it was an island. Naruto was still a bit sore from all the water-walking he had done. Tayuya thought he could walk over water simply because of his speed… the naivety was cute.

But back to the point: Kirigakure was far too civilized and neat for his liking. It didn't fit what he knew about the village, which meant that Kiri's real face was hidden in the shadows. Not for the first time, Naruto wished that Tayuya and (especially) Temari were still at his side. Temari would know what to do. Tayuya would probably just barge in, unlike the blonde who'd consider the ways she could approach without being seen as an enemy. He… he hesitated. His old self wanted to believe that there was good in Kirigakure, but his newer experiences taught him that the world was an entirely different place from how he had imagined it when he was a kid, a poorly educated and overly naïve kid who only had eyes on the seat of Hokage. Uzumaki Naruto had never thought things through properly, and he had wound up dying because of it.

Children were indeed naïve, until experience taught them otherwise. Lessons learnt the hard way were learnt best.

Walking behind the imposing figure of Fuguki, people gave a wide berth to the group. Tayuya innocently gasped at every sight, soaking in the village through her wide-eyed stare. For someone who'd never been outside the little bandit village hidden within the mountains, this was beyond spectacular. Naruto hoped that nothing would happen to soil that memory for her.

Naruto picked up Tayuya, placing her back on his shoulders, when they started climbing the stairs that led to the large doors that gave entrance to the Mizukage's office. This was in the largest of the cylindrical buildings, at the heart of the village. It was one of the few buildings which lacked vegetation on the roof, leaving no way for shinobi to hide. There weren't too many escape routes, by the looks of it. Naruto had seen sentries on most of the other buildings.

'_Oh well, if nothing else, I could always decide to discard my body. It would require me to return to Konoha afterwards, because I wouldn't be able to reform without Kurama's aid, but still… it would be risking Tayuya's safety,'_ he considered his options. Shedding his body would have to be a last-resort kind of thing.

The long stairs provided whoever was inside a good chance to see who was coming. Assessing the guest was apparently something which the Mizukage had done, as Fuguki was told by the secretary that they were expected, and could enter.

The Mizukage was as Jiraiya had described him. This was the young man who had become a jinchuriki after the tragic death of Nohara Rin, a young kunoichi from Konoha who had ended up getting the Sanbi sealed with in her – turning her into a walking bomb. This Yagura, the Yondaime Mizukage of Kirigakure, looked little more than a boy.

With his height (or lack of it) and youthful appearance, Yagura looked like a twelve year-old. Yet, he was an adult. He had messy-grey hair, pink pupil-less eyes and a stitch-like marking running from under his left eye, all the way down his cheek. That must've been one hell of a cut, Naruto guessed, as he barely had any scars at all. Bijuu tended to heal the bodies of their jinchuriki, ironically. Yagura wore a grey, sleeveless shirt with the Kirigakure forehead protector attached to the front, short-sleeved mesh armor over which he also wore a green poncho along with a turquoise sash around his waist, paired with a green apron over his pants. What caught Naruto's eye (and Tayuya's) was the staff he was holding. The staff-like pole weapon had hooks on each side, a big one on the top and a smaller one at the bottom. Oddly, it had a green flower on the larger end.

Why the green flower? None knew. It seemed an odd piece of decoration. It made Naruto wary, while Tayuya thought that it was pretty.

"I was told you had a warning for me, Genkuro-san," the man-boy had a very formal and composed voice. It was too diplomatic, to Naruto's tastes. He didn't like diplomats.

"I do," Naruto inclined his head, and gestured Tayuya, clutching at his leg, to do the same. This was a foreign kage; paying your respects by bowing was the least thing that was expected of a guest. "Do you trust everyone in this room?"

"Everyone but you and the child," the somewhat cynical answer didn't surprise Naruto too much.

"Very well. What do you know about an organization called Akatsuki?"

Samehada was drawn, now pointing at Naruto's throat.

"Calm down, Fuguki," Yagura remained calm, though his overly diplomatic voice had a bit of an edge to it.

"Whether you have a history with them or not isn't of any concern to me, Mizukage-sama," Naruto chuckled. This defensiveness regarding the subject made it painfully obvious that Kiri had dealt with the mercenaries before. "What I do warn you about, however, is their peculiar interest in jinchuriki."

"Is that so?" Yagura's eyes narrowed slightly. "How would you know? Your chakra is strange, but you are not a jinchuriki yourself."

"Ah, no I am not. Not really, at least," Naruto had already prepared the lie he was going to tell. "I am… well, an experiment would be the right word to describe me. I have some of a bijuu's chakra within me, which altered me into the person you see in front of me. Unfortunately, the way I integrated that chakra drew the interest of that group. The attempt to extract and seal the chakra that I held with me, to drain me of it, was not really a pleasant experience."

"Why would their interest in you be of any consequence to me?"

"Because what happened to me was merely preparation. They gather information on each of the nine jinchuriki. They won't move now, but soon there will be a time that they capture them. One by one, the bijuu will fall to them. Although, I must admit that it eludes me what they want to do with that combined might."

"Gather information?" Yagura frowned.

"Infiltration seems the most logical option. Someone close to you, Mizukage-sama," Naruto knew that the man was on the paranoid side, a useful bit of information which Jiraiya had provided. Feeding those suspicions would likely garner some results. Paranoid people were usually easier to manipulate than sane people. "It is why I came to Kiri first – because you are the most influential of the nine. Rumor has it that Kumogakure holds a powerful jinchuriki as well, but he holds little influence within their village. I found it wiser to approach the most influential jinchuriki first."

"Sound reasonable enough... Fuguki, take the others out of my office. I want to speak to our guests in private," Yagura said calmly. Naruto, however, was a bit confused now. Yagura's chakra just shifted in a way that eerily reminded him of Gaara. The insane Gaara who tried and succeeded in murdering him. _That_ Gaara had also had these odd shifts in his chakra, whenever his personality changed.

The child-Gaara he had seen last year was rather different, however. It was good that Jiraiya knew how to mend that shoddy seal. It had been even better to meet the younger version of Temari.

"So you have not yet warned the other jinchuriki?"

He had warned Rasa and Minato, so two villages knew of the threat, but technically he had not warned any other jinchuriki yet, so: "No," Naruto shrugged. "Why?"

"Someone as odd as you… it makes me… wonder about things."

"There are many questions which I would like to see answered too," Naruto admitted. He didn't like how Yagura spoke. It was as if something was straining him, making it exceedingly difficult for him to maintain focus. "Even if I am a far cry from a real jinchuriki, not to mention one who is in control of his bijuu."

The flinch was barely noticeable, but Naruto saw it. '_Oh fuck… Ero-sennin, why did you assure me that this guy was a perfect jinchuriki? He's not! Dammit, and now I've dragged Tayuya-chan into this mess.'_

As if he could see Naruto's realization, Yagura brought his staff up and attacked. Awkward, almost robotically, he moved, making it child's play for Naruto to dodge. Even Tayuya thought, in all her naivety, that Yagura was merely playing a game. It wasn't. This situation was worse, far worse than Naruto had expected it to be. Sure, Yagura could've reacted in a hostile manner, or could have refused to listen, but this, him being as unstable as what Naruto saw now, was something outside of their expectations.

He just hoped that Jiraiya's leads in Kumo ended up being more successful. If Kumo's jinchuriki was also not as perfect a jinchuriki as rumored, things would end up becoming much easier for Akatsuki. This was not the direction that Naruto wanted it to go. The stronger the jinchuriki were, the longer it would take until Akatsuki would start moving. Alternatively… if one of the bijuu was currently dead, Akatsuki would have to delay its plans until the beast reformed.

Stepping past Yagura's second swing, Naruto put the palm of his hand on the head of the child-like kage. If it worked with Kurama, it could work with the Sanbi too, right? No.

It was a horrible, horrible miscalculation.

Something about Yagura's warmth was off. Naruto had seen it at times with people caught in a genjutsu, only this was many times stronger. Past that, there was the nigh-infinite source of chakra from the Sanbi. Yagura's chakra, or personality, was barely noticeable. What Naruto had spoken to was merely a façade, hiding the ugly truth.

This, however, was not the true problem of Naruto's miscalculation. Sure, Yagura merely being a shell, a puppet for the Sanbi, was a rather big problem. But it was not as big as Naruto attempting to absorb some of the Sanbi's chakra.

He felt his own chakra destabilize, and the churning orbs of fire, the most fragile part of him, the tiny suns that were his eyes, exploded. With it, his face was damaged horribly. It was a mistake that would leave him scarred as long as he kept this form. Still, those were only his eyes. Blindness wasn't really a hindrance, as his sensory abilities were rather good as they were. The corrupting effects of the Sanbi's chakra did not end with just the eyes, though.

Naruto buckled over, groaning with pain, as his entire body revolted against him: every muscle seemed to be burning, every bone fracturing. Every nerve sent panicked signals to the brains. For some reason, this chakra couldn't be transferred and consumed. It was not like a human's, which would just be turned to fire before he took it in. A bijuu's chakra was unique. After all, the tailed beasts were constructs of living chakra. Chakra was their flesh and blood, it was their body and soul. It could not be consumed as easily as chakra from any other source. A bijuu was immortal, a being outside the reason of time. Consuming such chakra was difficult, and left the body changed.

To Naruto, so strongly influenced by the Kyuubi, it was poison. No person could contain chakra of multiple bijuu. No regular person, at least. While he was a far cry from 'normal', even his body was not built for such a strain.

The only little bit of luck he had was that Yagura was doubled over too. The unearthly pull on the Sanbi's chakra left him/it temporarily stunned. The reparation it had to make to appear like Yagura again, as to not alert the village of the dreadful secret which the Mizukage held from his – its – subjects, bought Naruto another bit of time. If anyone within Kirigakure knew that Yagura was overthrown, it would put his policies in a wholly different light. The crusade against the bloodlines, the largest threat which the Sanbi saw within Kiri's borders, would likely be turned against him.

As such, Naruto could grab Tayuya and leave. Leaping out of the window, he ignored the girl's whimpers. She was terrified, seeing him being injured like this, and who knows what she had understood from the exchange between the massive chakra sources? The levels of killing intent he could radiate, even subconsciously, would likely put any genin, and even most chunin, on their knees. So yeah, of course the little girl was afraid, of course she was confused. She was probably paralyzed in fear. How could she have understood what just happened? Naruto doubted that even Yagura – no, the Sanbi – fully understood.

Leaping out of the window, Naruto immediately sensed all the sentries surrounding the building. They moved as one, perceiving him as a threat to their kage. The irony… the kage was a threat to the village. So Naruto was more like an ally to the village, right? '_No time to entertain such thoughts. No time to pay attention to this pain. I gotta move. Fast.'_

So, fast he was.

He was faster than any shinobi from Kirigakure, although the one who posed the greatest threat to him after Yagura, Fuguki, wasn't there to chase him. Fuguki had barged into Yagura's office moments after Naruto had shattered the windowpane. Glass was still tinkling on the floor when he stood in front of his kage. It was too fast for the Sanbi for fully hide the truth from the perceptive veteran.

Wisely, however, Fuguki remained silent about the incident. Yagura, the Sanbi, however, was too paranoid. While Fuguki was one of the most useful pawns he had at his disposal, Fuguki had now also become a threat. Anyone who knew the truth, anyone who could possibly know it, was a threat. The man hadn't become a jonin of his standing without reason, though. It took Yagura a long time before he figured out that Fuguki silently aided the rebels, feeding them as much information as he safely could.

Fuguki's student, Hoshigaki Kisame, was the one to do the honors and remove the traitor against Kirigakure. Yagura's proof that the man was selling information was enough of a reason to turn Kisame against his teacher, a man whom Kisame had admired so much, taking up the mighty Samehada for himself afterwards. Ironically, it was Kisame who betrayed Mizu no Kuni altogether- not without first murdering their Daimyo in such a way that it incriminated Yagura, though.

None of those events, which happened in the aftermath of this foolish day, mattered to Naruto right now. He ran and ran until he was several islands away from Kirigakure. Exhausted, he finally gave in to the pain, and rested. He couldn't rest for long, though, because the hunters would undoubtedly soon follow.

"T-Tou-san, are you okay?" the wide-eyed little girl stood in front of her 'father'. He was suffering, she could see that, yet she knew of no way to help him. No matter how badly she wished she could, there was little she could do.

"Some water," Naruto grunted, biting away a groan of pain. He lied, of course, as he didn't really feel thirst like any other human would. But, he figured that any parent would use a tiny lie in this situation. No matter the pain he was in, he still wanted to give the little girl the feeling she could help him, to relieve her of her worry and feeling of helplessness. No matter how he felt, sensing her scurry around to find drinkable water was a good thing.

* * *

"This is booohoooring!"

"Tayuya-chan, behave yourself."

"But Tou-channn…"

"No, Tayuya-chan. We're staying on this ship. I can't run to the mainland."

"Why not?" the little girl pouted. "Running is fun!"

"For you it is," Naruto chuckled. "For me it is exhausting. Besides, Kiri won't find us as easily while I keep suppressing my presence. If they do track us down, however, it is best that I have energy left to fight them. Conserving energy is a thing a proper shinobi should pay attention to as well."

She puffed, blowing up her cheeks while glaring at her 'father', but couldn't argue against it. A few days had passed since the disastrous meeting with Yagura – no, with the Sanbi. Nothing about it felt right, but it had turned out to be fairly profitable in the end. Traveling as two civilians fleeing for the civil war, Naruto had gathered quite a lot of information regarding the rebels. While it was difficult to enter the lands guarded by Kiri, it was surprisingly easy to leave. Or was it merely because no one suspected a blind man and his young daughter?

Naruto had wrapped a few bandages around his head in order to hide his empty eye sockets, as well as the surrounding scars, which were for some reason blackening. At least, that was what Tayuya had told Naruto. Raised by bandits and not unaccustomed to the sight of (mangled) corpses, Tayuya wasn't very squeamish about the rather ugly wounds like a normal civilian girl would have been. At least, not after Naruto had ensured her that it didn't hurt any more.

It was odd how quickly the girl had adapted to these new circumstances, and seemed to accept him without too many reservations. After the incident with Yagura, she had gotten some nightmares. She refused to tell what they were about, but if Naruto had to guess they had been about him – about him dying or otherwise leaving her. As a result, the girl had had trouble sleeping until she finally asked him if she could sleep with him, the first night they had spent on this boat, While camping out in the wild, she at least slept right next to his blanket, but in the boat they had separate beds. Nuzzling in at his side, the little girl had slept without any bad dream since. The four year-old version of Tayuya wasn't that much different from her older self in that aspect: both were surprisingly clingy, in spite of their usually rather independent attitude.

For a girl her age, Naruto thought that Tayuya was surprisingly calm. There were plenty of kids her age that would be latched onto their parents' legs, but not Tayuya. Whether it was a new village or a wild jungle, she just ran around him in circles without a care in the world- until she tired of it, and demanded a piggyback ride.

'_Heh, if this is what it feels like to be a father, I can't wait to meet Temari and my Tayuya again,'_ he smiled fondly when the girl looked over the railing. The fish swimming next to the sailing vessel were a thing which had drawn her attention from the first day- a dangerous interest. He had caught her twice when she almost fell overboard.

Tears had flown when he had scolded her, until he explained to her that he was merely worried that something would happen to her. A big hug had made her forget about the whole thing, which led to the second time she nearly fell overboard… Was he over- concerned? Yeah, a little, he had to concede. But, odd as it was, Tayuya was his little girl now, his daughter. It was a weird situation, sure, but it wasn't as hard as he initially thought: it was simply a matter of seeing this Tayuya as a different person from the Tayuya of his time, both being dear to him in their own ways.

They had met and escaped from the leviathan, the monster of the sea. The situation with the Sanbi showed that Naruto had to take immediate action. The rebels seemed like the best option to him. If he aided them in bringing down 'Yagura', it would likely improve the relations between Konoha and Kiri as well. However, the prime objective was stopping the Sanbi. It tore apart the country, eradicating all those who could be a threat to it. Worse, however, was that with a barely-existent seal, Akatsuki would likely have little trouble capturing and extracting the Sanbi from Yagura.

Killing the Sanbi would end the civil war and bring peace to this torn nation, while it would also buy time before Akatsuki could start to move. Naruto knew that it was still far too early for them to start, in his time it took them at least another decade to prepare, but… what if this timeline turned out to be different?

He had killed the man who claimed to be Uchiha Madara. He had ensured the survival of Namikaze Minato and his wife Kushina. His information had led to the death of Orochimaru, and the exile of Shimura Danzo. How much had he changed this world, and the balance of power between the five nations? What guarantee did he have that Akatsuki wouldn't strike at a different moment?

Whatever the case, Naruto wanted this world to be prepared for that war. Even if he found a way to return to his own time, he couldn't bear the idea of leaving this world in shambles. Especially not now that he had a daughter.

"Tayuya-chan will probably chew me out once I tell her I adopted her," he mumbled to himself. He didn't doubt that he would find a way return to her and Temari. He had to believe, or else he'd go mad. These three lonely years had only made it more obvious to him, given him time to sort it all out. He loved them.

Genkuro was still displeased, though.

* * *

_Author's notes_:

* * *

Some of the things in this chapter, as well as the previous, were also told in **Apophenia**, such as Orochimaru's death or Danzo's escape. I did mention them in this chapter as well, though I didn't waste much time or effort on it. The same goes for Naruto's later visit to Konoha. I'll summarize those things, so that this story can be read properly even if you don't want to read Apophenia, but obviously you'll get a more complete image of how the world is put together by reading both stories.

(Is that shameless advertising? I guess it is…)

Anyway, my thanks, as always, goes to the great **Illuminated**, as well as everyone who leaves **reviews**! Without feedback no one would ever improve, right? Or remain motivated. Reviews give a writer fuel to keep going. As for next chapter, I think I'll focus it on Temari, Shion, Tsunade, and the others. It's time to unfold my plans for Honen.

* * *

-Z-

* * *

Previously, I asked you whether or not there were questions with regard to the time travel thing. Surprisingly, there were only few- I really expected more, but apparently I explained stuff better than I thought.

_Q: Won't the original timeline be changed by what Naruto is doing in the past?_

A: If Naruto's actions in the past would have changed his own timeline, Naruto would have vanished from the earth the moment he had rescued Minato and Kushina, right? Even more: since Kurama wasn't split in two, and a different seal was used to seal him away, the whole problem around Naruto's death could not have occurred if the changes had altered the other timeline. So no, since there are two separate timelines Naruto's actions now won't change a thing for the Temari and Tayuya of his timeline. Compare it to Dragonball, where Trunks travels back and forth from the future, yet his actions in the past timeline didn't change his own timeline.

_Q: Is the current timeline where Naruto now is staying the focus? Or is the previous timeline still going to be part of this story?_

A: The usual mechanic underneath a story is to create a problem where the character has to find a way to overcome those problems. This is still very much a NaruTayuTema story. And as said: next chapter will be on the 'original' timeline again. So the answer would be that both timelines are part of this story!


	24. Sanctuary

**Pareidolia**

* * *

**Chapter twenty three**

**Sanctuary**

* * *

"_Some of you say, 'Joy is greater than sorrow,' and others say, 'Nay, sorrow is the greater.' But I say unto you, they are inseparable.  
Together they come, and when one sits alone with you at your board, remember that the other is asleep upon your bed."_

― Kahlil Gibran

* * *

_Shion sighed, looking at the comatose body of Uzumaki Naruto. The fire had been extinguished in his eyes, leaving only empty sockets. And the cute whisker marks he had suddenly grown didn't give him the same boyish appearance anymore. It just… it seemed sad. _

"_What happened to Genkuro?"_

"_Oi, priestess, what happened to him!?" _

"_Genkuro? Hey, don't play dead like that. Genkuro! Talk to us!"_

_The mountain exploded at the same moment as Shion's emotions, her heart finally catching up with all the grief of these last months, years, where all whom she had cared about had perished. And now Naruto had… whatever had happened to him, Shion feared the worst. Water ran down her face like magma slipped down the mountain slopes. _

"Priestess?" Shizune looked at the crying young woman. Shion hadn't shown her emotions very often. What on earth had happened in there? Why was the mountain exploding like this? "Did Moryo win?"

"N-no… Naruto defeated him," Shion choked the words out. "Moryo did something… Naruto fell… I don't know!"

"He's alive," Tayuya was hiding her panic better than Temari. "It is faint, very faint, but he's alive. I can feel it," she assured the blonde, and herself. "He isn't dead," she repeated. "He's alive."

"I heard you," Temari stammered, yet not stopping her tears.

Without any trace of subtlety, Tsunade and Jiraiya crash-landed next to the group. "What the hell happened?" the Senju demanded.

"The mountain erupted, and at the same time, the army stopped moving." Jiraiya didn't understand it either. "Did you seal Moryo? What happened to the kid?"

"Moryo is sealed, but something happened to Genkuro… Naruto. Shion called him by the name Naruto. But, he's still alive," Honen explained. "We need to go. If this volcano truly erupts, we would be too close."

"Come," Jiraiya moved forward, lifting up Naruto/Genkuro. "There is no time for tears now, girls. We need to move. If he's truly alive we need to find a place where we can heal him. And that isn't next to an active volcano."

"Oni no Kuni," Shion mumbled, struggling to get some self-control. "We can go to one of the temples... My people will look after us. That's the least my country owes you. That, I owe you."

"Honen, you carry the priestess. Let's hurry."

* * *

It was odd to see how fundamentally Shion had changed. The distant and dispassionate young priestess was fussing over Genkuro's health, to the point where she had gotten in an argument with Tsunade of the Sannin, a woman whom she had previously shown relatively great respect.

While the compound where Shion used to live was still a fair distance away, not to mention probably still in ruins after being attacked by Moryo's 'gang of four', there were more locations in Oni no Kuni fit to house the priestess. Hell, Temari knew that Kaze no Kuni would only have compounds like these in its capital, for its Daimyo to live in. While she knew that her nation was quite poor, it still surprised her how wealthy Oni no Kuni was.

Shion was not the definitive ruler of her nation, but she was, by far, its most influential figure. The people revered (and feared) the priestess who could predict someone's death, and the military of Oni no Kuni had sworn to serve the priestess. Of course, most of that power and influence had been accumulated by her mother, and Shion had yet to truly make a name of her own. But the attacks had spread rumors quickly, and Jiraiya had been happy to fan those flames. The story of Moryo, and how Shion had sealed the demon away, had taken flight, and Shion's reputation had risen along with it.

For her to do what even her esteemed mother could not do, at her tender age… the involvement of the rag-tag group of shinobi was conveniently left out as the nation glorified its priestess and her exploits. Temari couldn't really mind it. She had different concerns right now, and if nothing else, she considered Shion's rise to fame only in practical terms. Thanks to it, they had more resources, and, as Jiraiya had pointed out, the best way for them to remain hidden was to use Shion's achievement as a decoy.

While at least Konoha should have been aware of their presence as Shion's guard, even Danzo wouldn't openly declare war at Oni no Kuni. Attacking the ninja, while they were living in the same compound as the priestess, would have started a war, and not even the warmongering Hokage wished to have yet another enemy.

Luckily, these past few days since they'd arrived here had been rather uneventful. Or was it unlucky? Temari couldn't decide. It was good that there were no attacks or anything else, but it was bad that Genkuro was still comatose.

'_I should call him Naruto now, shouldn't I?'_ the blonde realized while she was idly stroking the hair of her unconscious loved one. Shion's revelation of him having a change of personality was a bit confusing, making Tayuya and Temari unsure what to expect from him if he woke up. How much would he change? At least he seemed to remember everything he did before he recalled his past life, or so Shion had told them. Temari hoped the priestess was right. She had been Naruto's enemy before his death. The idea of him waking up and hating her… she couldn't bear it.

Sitting next to his bed, she kept vigil. Tayuya snored softly on a nearby couch, with a blanket draped over her. Every now and then, either Tsunade or Shizune would drop by, checking on Gen… Naruto's vitals, but otherwise they restricted themselves to either their respective bedrooms or the library.

'_Not having any shinobi capable of the Shosen Jutsu (Mystical Palm Technique) can be convenient too. Unable to heal through chakra, they are forced to resort to the civilian way of healing their wounded and diseased- which requires perhaps even more study, more literature, and knowledge on herbs and such,' _Shizune had told Temari. '_Ge… Naruto's case being as odd as it is, that's probably a blessing. If someone as famous as Tsunade can't figure out what is going on... I hope they find something within these books. Or perhaps Honen or the old perv will find a way.'_

If nothing else, Temari had to agree with Tayuya: at least his situation was stable. The shard left in Tayuya's mind, enabling her to survive the extraction of Orochimaru's cursed seal, had not vanished. It had been silent, whatever Tayuya had meant by that, but it was still present. That was what gave them hope, what kept them hoping. Naruto wasn't dead. He was alive.

Even if Tayuya couldn't connect to him through the link between them, even if Temari's voice couldn't reach him, they kept hoping. Despite their worry, despite the overwhelming sorrow and fear, they hoped their lover would come back to them. He was unbeatable, after all. Killing even those who were immortal, able to overpower demons- if there was anyone who could survive this coma, it was him.

Despite their trust, neither of the girls left his side. Even as one slept, the other sat at his side. He had saved them when they could not protect themselves, and now it was their turn to keep _him_ safe.

* * *

"I still don't see a thing."

"It's a little further," Jiraiya shrugged. "Unless they'd use some kind of large-scale jutsu that destroyed the entire area, it would be normal not to see a single sign this far ahead."

"I never knew you were such an accomplished sensor."

"You don't live through as many fights as I have without gaining a few talents, kiddo."

The slight scowl on Honen's face made Jiraiya think of a certain Hyuga who also never could take it too well when someone treated him condescendingly. Then again, the Hyuga were quite monk-like anyway, with all their traditions and other stuffy habits. They never mixed too well with Jiraiya's peculiar behaviors, just like the monks never got used to him. Thinking about it, Jiraiya wondered if he ever had to arrange for a meeting between Chiriku and Hiashi.

'_On second thought, no. Chiriku is too honest, and Hiashi too cold. They'd probably never be friends. Then again… that could be entertaining to see as well,'_ Jiraiya scratched his chin while overthinking the possibilities. Sure, he loved peeking at women (preferably undressed women), but the spymaster could also enjoy messing with people in a non-perverted way. Putting people in strange situations and observing their reactions was a great way to get inspiration for his novels.

"Is it there?" Honen pointed. The young monk had seen something in the distance but Jiraiya…

"Damn kid, you've got a sharp pair of eyes."

"No, but age seems to be associated with declining eyesight," Honen countered snidely, fed up with being called 'kid' all of the time. Ever since they had set out, Jiraiya had been getting on his nerves. How could the man be so infuriating while the fate of Genkuro, the man regarded as some sort of demi-god by Honen's temple, was on the verge of death?

At the speed they were travelling, it only took a minute before they arrived at the remnant of a small battlefield. Jiraiya quickly counted the corpses of four shinobi, unmistakably Root anbu, and one injured kunoichi- a kunoichi whom, judging by the color of her skin, hailed from Kumogakure.

"Impressive, taking down a full squad of Danzo's goons and surviving as well." He was mildly impressed by the woman, and for once not just because of her looks.

Honen had different priorities, and hurried to the woman in order to patch her up. There were a few nasty cuts, through which she had lost a reasonably large amount of blood. It was not enough to be lethal, but definitely enough to leave her weakened- but nothing a Zoketsugan (Blood Increasing Pill) couldn't fix.

Jiraiya left the stitching and bandaging to the young monk, preferring to investigate the grounds first. Well, not really: he _did_ want to bandage her, but the monk didn't want him around because Honen thought Jiraiya just wanted to peep at her- as if he was such a pervert! Scandalous! Anyway, the tracks showed a lot about how the unknown woman had fought, but also how a standard Root squad operated. The latter was important, considering how Danzo would likely end up being their enemy. He'd never let anyone like Naruto exist without trying to control him, and Jiraiya wasn't planning to allow the man to be a threat to his somehow-revived godson.

By the time he had set up camp, Honen informed him that the woman was sleeping, and should be just fine. "What should we do now?"

"She's probably from Kumo, even though she lacks the hitai-ate to prove it, and considering how she defeated four anbu, she's no pushover either. Jonin-level, likely."

"She could've had help," Honen frowned.

"Negative. If there had been other people around, I would have seen the tracks. No, the lack of hitai-ate in spite of her obvious skill gives us two options: first, she could be a missing nin-"

"She doesn't have a scratched headband, though."

"I can see that," Jiraiya grumbled, somewhat annoyed by Honen's interruption. "As I was saying: she could be a missing nin, but that seems unlikely. This must be a jonin, and a missing nin of that stature would not be traveling all alone. No, that's what a genin might do, but a jonin would be well aware of the necessity of numbers if one had decided to betray their village. On top of it all, there is the absence of weaponry, which wouldn't make sense. Any jonin would be better prepared, at least hiding some weapons. That leaves the second option: she's a spy."

"Wouldn't a spy be trying to get into Hi no Kuni? This is the wrong side of the border," Honen raised a valid point. Jiraiya nodded. "And considering the direction of the tracks, the anbu chased her from within Hi no Kuni."

"Yeah, that makes the 'spy' option more likely. It makes me wonder why she crossed the border on this side, though," Jiraiya frowned. "Kumo is north…"

A groan ended their speculations. With more than a little trouble, the woman tried to get up. In her injured condition, however, that didn't go as smoothly as she thought it would. Honen quickly moved to her side, helping her to sit up. Dazedly, she allowed him to help until she realized that someone was helping her- her eyes flew open, awkwardly trying to back away.

"Don't worry girly, you'll be fine."

"Yes, I shall make sure Jiraiya-sama doesn't get too close to you," Honen rolled his eyes. "But you should not be moving too much. I only just finished stitching you up."

"He didn't even let me help…"

Honen glared at the pouting sennin, still not believing that a man this infamous could be so strange. "I am a monk of the Fire Temple of Hi no Kuni," he instead turned to the woman. "My name is Honen."

"…"

"This is the part where you're supposed to introduce yourself," Jiraiya suggested. "Surely Kumo teaches its kunoichi manners, no?"

"Jiraiya of the Sannin," her voice was oddly calm, not betraying any discomfort or how she felt.

"The one and only," Jiraiya bowed. It was clear that she was under stress, yet she didn't let it get the better of her. It was an admirable quality, especially considering her current weakened condition. Truly, this kunoichi wasn't just some run-of-the-mill genin or chunin- she was definitely a jonin. Jiraiya recalled a list of Kumo's kunoichi, and those who ranked as jonin. Considering the woman's dark skin, green eyes, and light grey hair, it wasn't too difficult to recall. After all, Jiraiya did have a tendency to remember the data on the pretty ones.

Well, he usually remembered the dangerous ones too.

"I wonder why the Raikage sent his assistant all the way here," he was pleased to see her shocked expression. "Mabui of Kumogakure no Sato. I definitely recall you now. But what is someone like you doing here? Espionage? Assassination?"

"Is it true you turned against the current Hokage, Jiraiya-sama?" she dropped all pretenses and just asked the most important question that came to her.

"So it was espionage," Jiraiya chuckled. "Yes, Danzo and I don't get along too well… and he has a tendency of removing all obstacles and loose ends."

"What are you planning to do?"

Taking the defensive way in which she said it into account, Honen realized that the woman, Mabui, was asking Jiraiya about her fate. "It would be sinful to kill an injured woman," he interjected.

"Don't be so naïve, kid," Jiraiya dropped his usual façade. "We are shinobi. Honor, ethics, or morality, none of those fancy ideas are applicable in our line of work. We do what we need to, preferably in the most efficient way possible. And don't let yourself be blinded by her beauty. She'd probably kill us if the roles had been reversed. Oh, and don't even mention that there would be many male shinobi would do something worse to a pretty girl like her if they had been in our position."

"That would be evil."

"Yes, it would be," Jiraiya agreed. "But such is our world, unfortunately. I wish I knew how to change it, but alas… that said, you jumping to her defense is pointless. I am not going to kill her. Spy or not, she is Danzo's enemy, not mine. If nothing else, finding her makes it much easier for me to warn Kumogakure."

"Warn?" Mabui narrowed her green eyes, distrustful. "Warn us of what?"

"Akatsuki. They are moving against the jinchuriki."

"Against jinchuriki too?"

"I see you already know about them?"

Mabui nodded, remaining silent for a moment before she scraped her throat. "I was gathering information on the troop movements within Hi no Kuni. Some of Danzo's emotionless Anbu caught scent of me… I tried to avoid a confrontation, and thought that I had eluded them," Mabui explained, her eyes moving to Honen. "In order to hide myself, I went to your temple. Or what was left of it."

"What?! What happened?" Honen demanded. "Did Konoha move against the temple?"

"It was Akatsuki," Jiraiya grimaced. "Gathering funds, they must have aimed to collect the bounty on Chiriku's head… dammit!"

"Chiriku-sama? But… that cannot be!" Honen exclaimed. "He is a former member of the twelve guardian ninja."

"That is correct," Mabui mumbled sadly. "Two men in dark coats, which were covered with the crimson clouds of Akatsuki, struck down the gate. They killed many of the monks, and left with the body of a monk called Chiriku."

"No…"

"Do you know which members of Akatsuki they were?"

"One carried a scythe, the other had most of his face hidden. According to the monks I interrogated, neither of them could be killed."

"Scythe?" Honen looked at Jiraiya, remembering the story that Temari and Genkuro- Naruto- had told.

"Hidan and Kakuzu," Jiraiya nodded. "The ones who perished at Genkuro's hands." He thought it better not to mention Naruto's real name in front of a Kumo kunoichi.

If she was impressed, she didn't show it. With nothing but a curt nod, Mabui accepted that news. "In that case, they cannot attack Kumo. How big is Akatsuki?"

"Their numbers don't matter," Jiraiya said darkly. "The problem is that the entire organization consists of S-ranked criminals. If they were to strike, I would not be surprised if they could flatten an entire village with just one or two of their members. What worries me more, though, is that they are after the bijuu. What could an organization which already amassed so much strength be planning to do with the power of the nine tailed beasts?"

"Our jinchuriki have both proven the vast power and potential which any jinchuriki can possess. For others to desire such power…"

"That isn't surprising, no," Jiraiya shook his head. "But targeting jinchuriki goes beyond just power. The way the bijuu are spread over the five nations consolidates the balance between the hidden villages. Taking away the bijuu from one village would create instability, an instability others will undoubtedly exploit."

"That would be a world war," Mabui frowned. "We cannot… I mean, the Raikage would not wish for such an event to happen. War, orchestrated by a third party, would be disadvantageous to our village."

"That is true, and it is the reason why I told you that Akatsuki is targeting the jinchuriki," Jiraiya shrugged. "While I disagree with Danzo's policies, I would not like to see the world fall into a shambles. As such, I do urge you and your village not to start any wars of your own. But enough about politics and schemes! You should get some rest first, Mabui. Your injuries will only get worse if you try to do too much right now. Trust me; I know what I'm talking about in that regard. I have lost count of how many times I've been scolded for reopening my wounds."

"I will change the bandages tomorrow morning, if you wish," Honen offered. "It is important to avoid infections."

"They didn't use poisons by the smell of it, so don't worry too much. She's a healthy and shining example of what a kunoichi should embody!" Honen groaned when he saw how Jiraiya fell back on his foolish and lecherous act.

Although the young man didn't really have the right to protest: he had been the one to blush from the moment he had suggested he'd change her bandages, after all.

* * *

"What's wrong, Shizune?" Tsunade's brow twitched a little when she saw her apprentice stare at her. "Why do you keep giving me that look?"

"How long have we been here, Tsunade-sama?"

"In this temple? Six days," the Senju grumbled, annoyed by the question. Her apprentice wasn't seriously asking for something so obvious, was she? Or did she think Tsunade had gotten stupid in their time of imprisonment?

"Yes," Shizune nodded. Tonton nodded along. "Six entire days."

"If you've got time to talk nonsense, you also have time to read those books."

"Nonsense?" the young woman shook her head. "No, I was merely surprised. I thought about it, and… I still can't believe it: it has been six days since we returned to the civilized world, and yet you haven't touched a single bottle of sake!"

"You treat me as if I didn't do anything but drink," Tsunade scowled. It was a scowl which deepened when her apprentice nodded vehemently. Tonton's affirmative oink only added insult to injury. "I've got bigger things to focus on, right now."

She chose to ignore Shizune's smile and instead focused on the book in front of her. While Tsunade didn't admit it, and Shizune had not really said so, Tsunade had to admit that her life had changed. After Orochimaru's offer, betrayal, and the subsequent imprisonment and a treatment which could be called nothing less than torture, yes, Tsunade had changed.

Her selfish desires had brought them into that horrible situation. No, it was not just that. Tsunade had never really given it much thought, as she had been too absorbed by her own pain and grief, but she had caused Shizune much pain during the long years before she had stupidly accepted Orochimaru's 'offer'. Her alcoholism, gambling, and constant travelling throughout the world… Shizune had put up with it, sometimes with a few complaints, but had remained loyal nonetheless.

If not for that, how long would she have lasted? Tsunade guessed she would've died in a ditch a long time ago. With Dan's death, Nawaki's death… she had lost so much, and in that grief she had never considered to look for those left to her. Jiraiya had 'accidentally' met her several times over the years, yet Tsunade had always pushed him away. Hiruzen had sent her letters in the years after her retirement, yet Tsunade never answered them. The hospitals and clans had begged her to return, with all kinds of reasons, offering vast rewards for her services. Needless to say, she refused them all. She had pushed everyone and everything away. Wasted opportunities. However, none of that was as painful to her as the way she had treated Shizune.

Shizune had been the person who cared most about her, more than any other person Tsunade knew. She was the one closest to her, the one who always took care of her, and the one who supported her no matter what she did… Tsunade had put her through so much. She had only given the girl problems, when Shizune had deserved so much better. The saying was true: the ones closest to you are the ones who suffer most when you're in pain.

Tsunade was happy that Genkuro- Naruto had rescued them, that they had joined him and his strange rag-tag group. She hadn't felt such _purpose_ in a long time, to be part of something. It was a new chance, a new life, after all those years of aimlessness and pain. But how could she move on, without coming to terms with that hurtful part of her life first? She needed to atone for her mistakes. For Tsunade, atonement was no longer at the bottom of a sake bottle anymore. Alcohol had brought her down, had kept her down, but never again. This was a new chance, and not just for her.

"I'm so sorry, Shizune…"

"Tsunade-sama?" Shizune was utterly confused about why the Senju suddenly spoke up. She had remained silent for quite a while, seemingly focused on the books which Shion had provided. Literature on demons and supernatural matters was relatively scarce, but considering the nature of their greatest enemy, Oni no Kuni had gathered quite a collection. When Shion mentioned this, Tsunade had been the one who hoped to find some answers about the mysterious condition Naruto was put in.

And now she suddenly apologized?

The hug that followed couldn't have been more unexpected than her words, and yet Shizune was completely stunned by the act of tenderness from the older woman.

* * *

Where was it? She couldn't have lost it, could she? Or had it been lost during the attack? One of her assailants had used a katon jutsu, could that have incinerated the scroll? No, that couldn't have happened. She remembered feeling it within her jacket, even after that one kunai had cut her left leg- she had felt the scroll when she fell on it.

So where had it gone? Her jacket had been washed; most of the blood stains were removed, the holes and tears were roughly patched up, and it now lay ready for her. Had they taken it? Had they managed to open the seal? Had they read the files she had stolen? Had they… no, even he hadn't known, she was sure about that. But wasn't it even worse if he found out in such a way?

Why had things gone so wrong? The attack, the chase, and eventually being cornered, that had been bad enough. Waking up with her wounds treated, finding out that it had been them that found her- was there some kind of god laughing at her now, some kind of divine joke? She always seemed to get the right things at the worst possible moments- always. The day her boyfriend proposed to her? Right, it had been the day she also found out that the two-faced bastard had been cheating on her. The day she had been promoted to jonin? Yes, how could she forget that day? Both her parents died, and her little brother had been bedridden since that day, only for him to die days after the Raikage appointed her as his assistant.

A coin always had two sides. Whenever something good happened, she was also bound to have some kind of ill luck around the same time. It was why she usually remained distant, planning out everything, striving to keep control of the situation whenever possible. She didn't want to rely on luck. She hated chance.

Yet, here she was, weak and vulnerable, at the mercy of two people whose allegiance she didn't know. Sure, one claimed to oppose Konohagakure, yet he had a long history of loyalty to the village too. The other… well, his loyalty was probably shaken when he heard his home was destroyed. Probably? No, he was definitely shaken, she had seen his eyes when she told him about it. He was devastated, yet not nearly as much as he ought to be.

If he was to read her files…

"So, how long are you going to act like you are still asleep?"

Her eyes flew open, shocked that he had managed to sneak up on her. She hadn't noticed anyone approach her. "Jiraiya-sama?"

"I wonder why even foreigners address me with such formality. Sometimes, it makes me feel as if the other villages respect me more than Konoha does," Jiraiya smiled wistfully. He threw her the scroll that had been occupying her mind.

"You have read it." It wasn't a question. She knew very well that the hasty encryption that she placed on the seal wasn't enough to keep someone of his caliber out.

"I skimmed through most of the files and notes, yes," Jiraiya had a peculiar ability to hide himself behind a mask of goofiness. If not for the warnings she had read in his files to never ever underestimate him, she might have done so the day before. But she had seen his serious expression when he interrogated her. Now, however, he looked even graver than when she told them about the fate of the Fire Temple.

"Is it true?" he demanded. "And don't worry, I sent Honen out to fetch some herbs that will aid in your recovery."

"If you ask me whether or not the files are real, then yes," Mabui answered, not seeing the point of lying. If nothing else, a lie could only make her position worse. Although, she had to admit to herself that she didn't see the point of lying either. He had warned her about Akatsuki yesterday, had helped her heal. When Honen had fallen asleep, Jiraiya had used ninjutsu to speed up the process, although why he had waited until Honen didn't notice was beyond her understanding.

"I feared as much," Jiraiya sighed, sitting down next to her. "To think Konoha… sank to that level."

"Konoha was always like that, although it always pretended to be better, to be morally superior to the other villages."

"But this is something… I don't know what to think about it," the man shook his head. "The clan head of the Hyuga already sold his daughter off, because she was a failure. That was a horrible act, but I thought- hoped- that it was an incident. But to think that his clan was doing these things, it disgusts me."

"Is it really surprising?" Mabui wondered whether the man had really never considered the possibility of this situation happening. "No clan with kekkei genkai has all of its members possess that clan's ability. There is always a percentage born without it."

"I am aware, but the Hyuga mostly keep to themselves, carefully selecting their partners, keeping their bloodline as strong and pure as possible."

"But even then, it is impossible for _all_ their children to be born with their kekkei genkai."

"So they sent their 'defective' children to the temple?" Jiraiya cringed at the thought. As if the whole main and branch family issue was bad enough! This had been a matter which he had often discussed with his sensei, who claimed he didn't have the political leverage to change the situation, but this was even worse than that veiled form of slavery- this was outright primitive and barbaric.

"Not all their children," Mabui looked away. "Have you read the notes that the senior monks of that time made? The transcriptions that I stole?"

"I… I only read the first pages," Jiraiya admitted. "I did not want to believe it…"

"The Hyuga do not discard their children carelessly," Mabui hesitated. "Those born from a Hyuga who do not possess the byakugan, have a chance of getting the byakugan. But it is believed to be inferior to the 'pure' byakugan. As such, the children born without the byakugan are deemed a threat to the purity of the clan."

"Surely you don't mean-"

"Yes, Jiraiya-sama, normally those children are killed; the parents are told that the baby died at birth."

"That is disgusting!"

"It is," Mabui nodded in agreement. "But… not every parent remains unaware. Within a clan that is so strict, pregnancy cannot be hidden. Hyuga women always give birth within the confines of their compound."

"I know Kumogakure covets the byakugan, but…"

"We all spy on each other," she shrugged. "Don't you see who the parents might be, though?"

"If all Hyuga children are born in the presence of someone who'd weed out babies born without the byakugan," Jiraiya's frown turned into an angry scowl. "Son of a bitch!"

"I suppose you do not know about the Aburame children who are unable to sustain a colony of their own? The survival rates for that aren't exactly one hundred percent either. Every clan keeps its dirty little secrets, Jiraiya-sama. You, as spymaster, should be aware of that."

"Children are raised as soldiers, yes- of course I know _that_," Jiraiya snapped. "But for a clan to just kill their children at birth because they do not possess the clan's kekkei genkai… it goes beyond anything I ever heard of a clan doing!"

"Yet you still don't seem to see who Honen truly is. There was only one within the clan who was able to override the tradition. One who had the power to cover this all up," Mabui handed him the scroll. "It is all in here. Hyuga Honen, son of Hyuga Hiashi, stripped of his name and any related claims, was to spend his life in the Fire Temple, unaware of his true identity as long as he lived, forbidden from ever having children of his own."

"Discarding his firstborn son… because of the shame that the baby had no byakugan," Jiraiya slumped down. "This is… how can Konoha allow such a practice to exist?!"

Four eyes were drawn to a crashing sound. Wide-open grey eyes stared at them, next to him a tree with a hole in it slowly started to crumble down.

* * *

Listlessly, she swung it around. Having fought with the weapon for a while, she had quickly found that it was rather cumbersome to wield. The triple-bladed scythe was a weapon designed for a single purpose: harvesting blood. It was not a weapon that would easily kill or maim, but rather simply a tool that Hidan used to gather blood. Even a minimal amount of it was enough for his ritual to work.

She, however, did not use such wicked ways to fight. In fact, if not for her own blade being lost in her attempt to attack Kakuzu, she would never have picked up the scythe. But she needed a means to fight, a weapon to channel her chakra through. Leaving behind her war fan, which made it far too easy for others to identify her, had left a gap. This scythe now filled that gap. Why?

Well, at her request, Tsunade had used her inhuman strength to break off two of the three blades, which made the weapon much easier to wield, as it had dramatically improved the weapon's balance. The quality of the metal was superb as well (the fact that only Tsunade had been able to budge it was a testament of that). In addition, the chain on the scythe's handle made the weapon even more versatile. But more than the practical reasons, Temari came to value the weapon because using it was her way to honor a friend she had lost.

Before she was sent off to Iwagakure, as bride to be for that brutish relative of the Tsuchikage, the leaders of her village had taken away her summoning contract. The weasels had a long-standing relation with Sunagakure, and the elders of her village had no plans of risking to have that contract somehow being taken away from them. The loss of the bloodlines was something they simply had no choice in, because the alternative- war- simply was far worse. That would have be the end of their village.

Kamatari had been her personal summon, one of the very few friends which Temari had left at the time. Her numbed mind had merely processed the loss of that contract as another source of pain, and it wasn't until later (after Genkuro had rescued her) that she realized how badly that loss stung.

'_But now that I have this scythe, I can honor Kamatari. While I cannot use my jutsu the same way as when I had my war fan, I can at least adopt his way of using futon jutsu!'_

She sighed. Perhaps she'd one day be able to go back to Suna and reclaim the contract. Temari looked up, and saw that the sun was carefully peeking over the horizon, its first rays of light shyly announcing the dawn of another day. It was early, but the servants would soon wake and start their work. Temari looked at her scythe, and at her surroundings. While the little plaza which lay centrally within the compound offered space enough for her to practice her katas, improving her skill with her weapon, it was no place for her to actually use some chakra. She'd tear up the paved ground, something which Shion would likely not appreciate. Beyond that, there were the risks of innocent bystanders getting caught up in whatever jutsu she trained in. She and Tayuya were both training hard to get strong, to be able to fight side-by-side with the person who had changed their lives for the better, but they both were well aware that they couldn't go overboard when they were surrounded by civilians. So Temari went back inside.

"How is he?" She had asked (and had been asked) the same question countless times. The answer was always the same.

"Nothing changed."

Tayuya looked just as exhausted as Temari felt. Small wonder, considering that even Tsunade had been mystified by his condition. Genkuro, now remembering his life as Naruto again, had somehow been attacked by Moryo, and rendered comatose as a consequence. Shion had pledged whatever resources she could gather to aid him, both out of a personal sense of gratitude, as well as the debt her entire nation owed him. Without his help, Moryo would have been victorious, and the world would have been cast into darkness. Considering the grudge that the demon held against Shion's nation, Oni no Kuni would likely have been the first nation that the creature would have wiped off the face of the earth.

Temari mostly ignored the talk amongst the servants that a child between their priestess and the hero who could fight against Moryo would vastly improve their nation's strength. As a daughter of a kage, she was used to that sort of talk. To some people, bloodlines meant the world, and people were often talked about as pawns in a game. She knew that those servants meant no harm, and that Shion wouldn't be foolish enough to go after a man who was already claimed. Tayuya, on the other hand, was less used to such talk, and responded far more violently. Temari usually reined her in before the situation went beyond a simple foul-mouthed rant, but she knew that she'd have to have a talk with Tayuya on these matters eventually. They currently lived as guests, and had at least some manners and courtesies to uphold- if not for their own sakes, then for Gen… Naruto.

"You look like shit."

"Wow, thank you," Temari sent a deadpan stare at the bluntly honest redhead. "You're not looking all that fancy yourself either."

"Tsk. Don't fucking mock me."

"We're both worried, Tayuya," the blonde sighed. "There's no need for us to be in each other's hair as well."

"You think the old crone can find something?"

Temari snorted. If Tsunade found out that Tayuya called her by such a name, there was bound to be trouble. "She and Shizune are still busy in the library. From what I heard from the servants, Tsunade in particular barely takes any breaks. Hell, even Shion is helping them whenever she has time to spare."

"I wish I had some knowledge on that demon-crap, or even healing stuff."

"You summon demons, right?"

"Meh, those are just the three Doki (Rage Demons). I got the contract because of that slithering piece-of-snake-shit, not because I know a damn thing about demons."

"Perhaps they know a way to help?"

"None of those ugly cretins can fucking talk, you think I didn't try that?" Tayuya snapped. She seemed to immediately regret it, and slumped back down. "I'm sorry. It's just… I fucking hate to be so helpless!"

Sitting down at her side, Temari could only share the sentiment. Naruto had changed their lives, given them new hope and new chances that neither Temari nor Tayuya could've imagined. Both had seen too much of the darker side of their world, nearly to the point where they had been broken beyond repair.

Although Temari had to admit that she at least had lived a reasonably decent life before her father decided that it was a good idea to trust Orochimaru, betray Konoha, and launch an invasion. She and Kankuro had taken the fall for what her father had done, as well as for what their little brother had done. Although, even Gaara was ultimately innocent: what he had done, what he had become, was caused by their father as well.

In contrast, Tayuya had been sold by her parents, ending up in Orochimaru's clutches. From a young age, she had been trained harshly, surviving the most barbaric training methods one could devise. Never truly having known love, never mind the most basic forms of affection, it wasn't much of a surprise that she was so worried about Naruto's current condition. She couldn't process her own feelings about it properly.

"You're overthinking things again."

"What?" Temari blinked. "What do you mean?"

"I can see it in your face. You're always overthinking shit," Tayuya giggled weakly. "Always thinking that _you_ are the one who needs to figure it all out, to be the mature one, and tell us how to cope with the crap we get thrown at us… don't… please… I don't wanna be a burden to you…"

"Hush," Temari didn't think. Whether it was a lingering emotion, left since Genkuro- Naruto- did that weird ninshu thing and made them share their feelings, it was something she didn't know. But before she knew what she was doing, she put her arms around Tayuya, hugging her, comforting her.

"If he… _when_ he wakes up, do you think he'll still… you know…" Temari felt the girl tremble in her arms.

"Remember us?"

"Yeah. I mean, Shion said he knew his name. You think he changed?"

"Who is overthinking things now?"

"Dammit bimbo, don't make fun of me," Tayuya sobbed.

'_Acting like such a hardass, and yet she's still so fragile from the years she spent as Orochimaru's soldier. I guess that's why I just can't stop worrying about her? Although I suppose I'm hardly doing any better. How will he wake up? Does he remember everything he did when he was with us? Does he love us? Hell, he might as well be a completely different person- would we still love him? Why does this have to be so confusing?'_

Sometime later, a relieved Tsunade, flanked by a smiling Shizune, found the two girls- sleeping in each other's' arms, on the couch near Naruto's comatose form. Knowing they both hadn't rested properly the last few days, the two women left a blanket so that they would stay warm.

* * *

"Hyuga… lies… my entire life has been nothing but lies," Honen groaned. "The monks hid me, taking my real family's money in return. Compassion, selflessness… what a _joke_!"

"Honen," Jiraiya wanted to calm the young man, but was left speechless himself as well. After all, the insanity of this revelation was simply… horrible. Hiashi would pay for this. Konoha would pay for this. Jiraiya was certain that the Hokage had to know, that his sensei had to have been aware of the Hyuga 'traditions', and along with him the other elders as well. Condoning such a thing went too far, in Jiraiya's opinion.

Children were the sole beings in their world that were truly innocent, and as such, Jiraiya never could stomach it when people hurt the young ones. Just like men had no right preying on women- in spite of his perverted attitude, he absolutely abhorred rapists and molesters.

"I… I can't go back," Honen muttered. "The Temple, I cannot go there. I'm sorry, Jiraiya-sama. I know neither you nor Genkuro-sama had anything to do with this, but… I do not think I can return to my former home without doing things that I will regret."

"There isn't much left to destroy."

Jiraiya wasn't sure whether Mabui truly had such an odd sense of humor, or if she was just poking Honen. But to what end? The various pieces of information connected: why a Kumo spy was crossing the border on the opposite direction from where she was supposed to return, why she held those files, Kumo's unhealthy interest in the byakugan. Jiraiya also recalled how they had attempted to kidnap the clan's heiress, years ago.

"So that is why you are here," he glared at the woman. "You want him."

She wasn't fazed by the accusation at all, nor did she bother to try to deny it. She simply nodded affirmatively, accepting whatever was to follow. Every scenario that had been in her mind after she had found the files was rendered moot when they had found her. Her plans had become obsolete when Jiraiya had read the files she gathered. The time for subtle manipulation was past, all that remained was brutal honesty.

From what she had seen of Hyuga Honen so far, he was the sort of man who'd appreciate such honesty- even more so after the revelation that his life had been based on deception.

"Jiraiya-sama?" Honen blinked.

"I thought it strange she'd cross the border here. But it makes perfect sense considering her goal… _you_."

"Me?"

"My village has long coveted the Hyuga kekkei genkai," Mabui stated matter-of-factly. "So I was obliged to locate the one who carried the Hyuga genes, the one whom Konoha would never miss, nor ever declare war on us to recover. Your existence is, after all, an inconvenient secret for them."

"Did the temple really get destroyed, or is that a lie too? Are you trying to manipulate me, like the monks did?" his voice raised, his temper beginning to spin out of control.

"No. I have no reason to lie or deceive. You two finding me, finding the documents I smuggled from the temple, eliminated that possibility."

"Tsch… fine," Honen spat. "Get lost then. I'm fed up being misled."

"Is there somewhere else you'd rather go?"

The calm way in which she asked her question, and Honen's own inability to provide an answer, only increased his anger. He strode away.

"Well, that went worse than I thought it would."

"Yep," Jiraiya was a little too smug about it, Mabui had to conclude. "You sure pissed the kid off. Then again, he has a lot of news to process. Get some sleep. I'm sure you'll get another chance."

That definitely wasn't what Mabui had expected him to say. "What?"

"You basically want to turn him into a breeding stud, right? The more kids he'd get, the bigger the odds of Kumo getting a baby with the byakugan," Jiraiya's lecherous grin spread. "It would be every man's dream! I've seen enough of Kumo to know how many beauties live there. So of course I'm not planning to oppose your plans," he chuckled, before changing to a serious expression. "If nothing else, it would be a good start on destroying the clan responsible for such a horrible act. However, he will need to decide on his own. It is his right to decide about the path he wishes to take. He can stick with us, can return to rebuild the temple, or join you. It's up to him."

* * *

She felt warm, nice and comfortable. With her drowsy mind barely stirring from the slumbers of a sleep long overdue, she had neither the energy nor the motivation to open her eyes. This was probably a dream: a beautiful dream, filled with warmth and sensations that made her toes curl. She feared that opening her eyes would end the dream, so she forced herself to rest, to ease back into her sleep.

Things didn't go as she wanted. It kept enveloping her, crawling under her skin- comforting, longing, maddening, it was as if the sensation grew stronger and stronger. Soft brushes over her face, something against her neck, and her back… every stroke she felt, gently caressing her lower back, they tempted her to wake and see.

Wait, hands? Caressing?

"Ah!" her exclamation woke her bedfellow (well, couchfellow, to be exact, if that could even be considered a word) who sleepily and displeasedly growled back. "Tayuya?" Temari blinked. When had she joined her on the couch? No, they had been talking, and Temari had comforted her, and… when had they fallen asleep? Who had put a blanket over them?

"What are you fucking waking me up for," was grumbled back at her. "Just when I had such a… oh fuckdammit!"

"What?"

* * *

**Warning. **

**Nothing really all that explicit, but a mild lemon-ish scene.**

* * *

"Stupid dreams," Tayuya growled, not even bothering to turn around when she removed her soaked panties.

"A dream of Naruto, I take it?"

"Hmpf."

"Don't just lie down again," the blonde giggled when Tayuya's unruly hair tickled under her nose. "Get some panties."

"We gotta blanket, don't we?"

"Yeah, but…"

Tayuya pouted, wagging her finger in front of Temari's face. "That's a no. You woke me up bimbo, now pay the… well now, at least I wasn't the only one who had enjoyable dreams," she suddenly giggled, after her hand had wandered down.

The blush spreading on Temari's face only added to Tayuya's amusement. "Y-you were… your hands were… when we slept… why are they…"

Her stutter was ended by a surprisingly gentle kiss. "We both need to blow off some steam," Tayuya ignored the blonde's weak protests, and eagerly explored the contents of Temari's wet panties. Meanwhile, the kisses went further down, and Tayuya quickly dispatched the annoying bra that obstructed her view.

She knew Tayuya felt attracted to her, it was something obvious even without their little emotional synchronization, but for Temari… well, even in Konoha love between two people of the same gender was frowned upon, and Konoha was liberal compared to Suna. In Sunagakure, such a thing was practically unthinkable, although Temari supposed it happened regardless. It just remained carefully hidden from the public eye.

To feel another woman kissing her breasts, licking her nipples, was an experience which Temari had never even had considered- not before Naruto had connected the three of them through ninshu. Tayuya's love and desire didn't just extend to him, but also to her. Temari had to admit that she couldn't keep Tayuya out of her thoughts either, always worrying about her for some reason.

"Yeah, we do need to release some of the tension," Temari mumbled, eliciting a pleased sigh from Tayuya when she started removing the wrappings that Tayuya used to keep her breasts covered. Screw traditions. Screw upbringing. They both needed this, they both needed to feel that they were together in this, because both knew that loneliness was a far greater pain.

Perhaps that's why Tayuya had such a hunger. Playfully squeezing a nipple, the redhead moved and straddled on top of her. The moan was stifled when Tayuya's tongue invaded Temari's mouth, the same moment the red hair's finger went into… Even if it was for but a moment, Tayuya's nimble fingers soon made Temari forget about it all, as the tension exploded.

It was a favor she returned with an eagerness that pleasantly surprised Tayuya, who had no problems letting the blonde's fingers gain access to her most sensitive spot. And the tongue, later on, only made thing better.

Had Naruto not been comatose, he would definitely have enjoyed the view that unfolded, only a short distance from his unconscious form. No, scratch that: he wouldn't have just _looked_ at it. He would've joined in.

* * *

**Lemon end**

* * *

Nearby, in another sweaty bed, there was a third young woman who was panting rapidly. The beads of sweat running down her face, as she became redder and redder. At first glance, one could have thought this young woman had a pleasurable dream. But if one looked closer, one could see the pained grimace- the grimace of someone having a horrible nightmare.

Pale lavender eyes suddenly shot open, filled with fright.

"No, not Temari," she whimpered. "I have to… but how can I change it when I don't know _when_?"

* * *

_Author's notes_:

* * *

My decision to add a light lemon scene between Temari and Tayuya is likely a bit controversial and cause me to lose another batch of readers… but I did tell you all: this isn't just a relationship between Naruto and the girls, it is also a relationship between the girls. Tayuya, especially, had expressed her interest in Temari a few times before. So it shouldn't be too much of a surprise, even though not everyone likes yuri, as it simply is a logical part of their three-way relationship. It felt like the right moment in the story to put some emphasis on that, as I don't want them to be stagnant in terms of character development while Naruto is on his 'walkabout'. Nor do I want this story to be your typical wish fulfillment fic, a reason why I dislike the vast majority of harem or three-way fics.

While the dwindling amount of reviews is a bit disappointing and not quite good for my motivation in continuing to write this story, hence the time it took to write this update, it was also kinda funny to see how people react to my decision to do this time travel-ish thing in the middle of the story. There are countless time travel fics, yet when I do it mid-way it suddenly becomes 'too weird', 'too complex', or the whole thing gets demoted to 'training and filler'. Obviously, the latter isn't true. And I thought my story was already weird and complex enough to begin with. Ah well, those with the patience to see which direction I'm taking the story will come to see why I did it. At least, I hope. If everyone jumps ship it wouldn't really serve a point to continue writing.

Meh, hopefully that won't happen.

Anyway, I hope it was clear enough for people to realize in which timeline we're in right now. This chapter is in the 'current', so to speak, while Naruto is cast back to the 'past'. I deliberately kept this stuff in a separate chapter, in order to minimize the confusion regarding the 'when'. Furthermore, you'll have noticed that the amount of time spent in one timeline has next to no influence on how much time is spent in the other. So it's not like Naruto will return after years have passed in Tayuya and Temari's timeline, just because he has spent such an amount of time in his timeline…

More on Honen's decision and path will come in a later chapter. But I'll ask you: what decision do you think he should make? Go to Kumogakure? I can make guesses about what **Illuminated** would want me to write… I should probably move the story to an adult fanfic site at this rate? Illuminated says: _"Time to send Honen on his merry way, give him the Mabui prize. Can you imagine Mabui's children using her transportation jutsu enabled by the byakugan? Artillery!"_

Next chapter will focus on Naruto again, featuring more 'steamy' scenes!

* * *

-Z-

_Edit: fixed several typos, thanks you_ **Fuyuriku**!


	25. Steam and Ashes

**Pareidolia**

* * *

**Chapter twenty four**

**Steam and Ashes**

* * *

"_When in danger or in doubt, run in circles, scream and shout._"

― Herman Wouk

* * *

**Four years after Moryo**

* * *

It had been good to see them all- especially Kurama. He felt completely refueled now, literally. It had taken a long time to cleanse himself of the Sanbi's chakra, to rid himself from that poison, but Uzumaki Naruto finally felt like he could conquer the world again- or burn it down to the ground. The latter was something that part of him still wanted, that urge to consume…

Oh well, that had to wait until he got back to his own time, back to Temari and Tayuya. Right now, he had other things to worry about- teasing an Uchiha, for instance. Uchiha Itachi seemed like a very interesting young shinobi, capable too. Naruto couldn't imagine this man being the butcher of Sasuke's clan. It made him wonder what sort of circumstances Itachi had been in, for him to commit such an atrocity.

Unlike the Uchiha clan, the Hyuga were exactly like they were in his time: stuck-up, arrogant, and conservative to the point that even their cutlery couldn't be taken from the table without the appropriate ceremony. Idiots. Fittingly, Hyuga Hiashi was the biggest idiot of them all. Naruto hadn't forgotten what had happened to the Hinata of his time: how she had been deemed unworthy, how they had sold her to Orochimaru because she wasn't wanted in her clan. No father should do such things. So, he had told Hiashi about the promise he had made to himself: a warning that no Hyuga should take lightly. If Hyuga Hinata was hurt, the clan would suffer. If she ended up being broken like the Hinata he had seen die, the clan would be reduced to ashes. No, not even ashes would be left, he'd burn them to the point where nothing would even be left to remind the world of their existence. In short, the fate of the Hyuga depended on how they treated Hinata.

Of course, Hiashi stubbornly tried to find ways to escape that threat. Naruto wondered why the man still hadn't learned that it was pointless to attempt to attack him. It only caused unnecessary death. And as a father, shouldn't the fair treatment of his daughter be the first priority? The year that Naruto had spent with Tayuya had shown him that: he'd rather chop off his own limbs than allow the little redhead to feel even a modicum of pain.

Similarly, Kushina and Minato didn't allow anything to happen to their Naruto either. Seeing his cheerful and chipper younger self was always a peculiar experience, yet it was the best possible motivation he could get as well. The boy had gained a sister, adopted after a chain of events- a little girl only a little older than the young Naruto. Naruto remembered her… he had seen her die, at Temari's hands.

'_How ironic to see them as siblings in this time,'_ Naruto smirked. The two children stood at the gate with their mother, Kushina, to wave them goodbye. The little Naruto had recovered quite well, considering what his elder self had put him through.

Then again, kidnapping his younger self was only meant to scare the boy enough that he would draw upon Kurama's chakra. That succeeded, allowing the elder Naruto to liberate a fragment of the Bijuu's chakra, resulting in the manifestation of an adorable tiny version of the infamous nine-tailed fox. Seeing the fox being petted by his younger self was a sight Naruto would never forget. He couldn't wait to show his Kurama those memories…

"And remember: don't get too far from the boy," Naruto, his real identity hidden by the eye-less white mask, crouched down next to the one-foot high demon fox.

"Yeah, yeah," the miniature version of Kurama grumbled. "Or the link between my sealed self and this clone-like body is interrupted, and you're not around to create a new one. Pesky meatbag. Just go already. You've already gotten your refill, and you've made fun of me enough as well."

"Sticking close to the kid also gives you the opportunity to get to know him a little. Who knows, we might grow on ya!" Naruto joked, not that the little Naruto understood that joke, but Kurama definitely did.

"When hell freezes over…" Yep, he definitely was still sore over Naruto only giving him such a tiny body. Then again, this was all his younger self could tolerate- he _had_ warned Kurama about that.

"Ku-chan, why are you always such a meany?" little Naruto frowned. "Kaa-chan, is Ku-chan always like this?"

"Pretty much, but don't you think you should say goodbye, Naruto-chan?" Kushina chided the easily-distracted four-year-old. She had taken the children and fox to the gates of Konohagakure so they could say goodbye to their unusual guests.

While Kushina had said her goodbye to her other son earlier that morning, she and Minato had both agreed to keep this hidden from the young Naruto for now. They saw no reason to burden the young Naruto with such confusing knowledge. His innocence and cheerfulness was a thing that was far too valuable, and Naruto wished that the boy could keep it as long as possible.

"Bye-bye Masked-mister, bye-bye Yuya-chan!"

"Train hard and grow strong, little ones," Naruto mussed the hair of both his younger self and Tenten. "And I think you'll need to keep your Nii-chan in control," he chuckled, nodding to Tenten. "Good thing you've got the perfect sensei in Kushina!" If Tenten would become anything like his mother, Naruto knew that his younger self would be kept on a short leash.

Kushina could be pretty darn strict.

"Come on Tou-san, we're late," little Tayuya sighed. "See ya next time, crybaby."

"I'm not a crybaby!"

"You are," Tayuya stuck her tongue out at him before trotting off.

"Be careful in Kiri," Kushina held her son by his arm, before he could follow his adopted daughter. Did that make Kushina a grandmother? He thought it would be best not to inform her of that. If she was even remotely as sensitive about her age as Tsunade was… "Yagura is dangerous," the whispered 'son' afterward was only audible to him.

"I'll manage, somehow," he gently squeezed her hand. "We Uzumaki are too tough to be done in by a little bijuu! See you guys soon!"

He and Tayuya walked down the path, further and further from Konoha, further from his other self, and his parents. Part of him never wanted to leave, wanted to enjoy their company every day, to live the dream he had when he had been a kid himself, a little unwanted orphan. But… that wasn't his place. He had different responsibilities, burdens that only he could bear… and people to return to.

It wasn't easy, but at least he had Jiraiya to help him. If not for him, the whole thing in Suna would've escalated horribly. Gaara's seal obviously needed to be repaired, but the Kazekage, Rasa, was very suspicious of Naruto- to the point where Naruto had nearly ended up fighting the man. It was a good thing Jiraiya had been there to pacify the situation. Gaara's seal ended up being fixed, although it still required regular check-ups to see that it wasn't deteriorating, but at least his sanity was preserved now. Another threat against his younger self was removed, considering how the ordeal had strengthened the relations between Konoha and Suna.

Besides the aid he gave Naruto, Tayuya enjoyed Jiraiya's jokes a lot. The girl had soon started calling him Ero-gama. It was an even better insult than the one that Naruto still used; Ero-sennin hadn't been a name Jiraiya had expected, but 'perverted toad'... Naruto still laughed when recalling the face the man had made when Tayuya first said it. Still, godfather or not, Jiraiya didn't know more than necessary, thinking that Naruto was a survivor of the Uzumaki clan who worked directly for Minato.

Looking at his 'daughter', Naruto was proud to see that she was discomfited.

"Well, I suppose that I have to thank you for at least waiting until we got out of Konoha," Naruto said out loud, after Tayuya had suddenly stopped. It made him proud that the little girl had noticed them; she'd definitely become a great kunoichi one day- although he already knew that, of course. "Then again, you wouldn't have liked it if you had involved the wife and son of the Hokage. It would have forced me to be… unfriendly."

His mother's condition was a thing he regretted immensely. If only he had been a minute earlier, then she wouldn't have suffered that fate- but completely suppressing her chakra had been the only way to stop her from dying of chakra deprivation. While he had ended her career as a kunoichi, and rendered her even more helpless than the average civilian, at least she had lived.

That wasn't what he could say of the idiot Hyuga who had 'ambushed' him.

"Tou-san, who are these white-eyed idiots? Are they trying to pick a fight with you?"

"They are, Yuya-chan, so stay out of it," Naruto chuckled. He made a mental note to teach her about the various dojutsu in the world. Not recognizing a Hyuga was… well, he was responsible for teaching her, so it was his own mistake. "After all, these spineless bastards seem to specialize in tormenting little girls. Anything older than that would be beyond their meager level of skill. Such heroism."

"You arrogant-" one of the eleven Hyuga assassins made the mistake of falling for the taunt. The break in his concentration, if only for a second, proved to be fatal. Rage was a horrible advisor.

"One down, ten to go," Naruto wiped a drop of blood from his white mask. The fallen Hyuga had been slain in one mighty punch, one which seemingly broke every bone in the man's face. It was good to have full reserves again. "Seriously, I told Hiashi what would happen if you guys keep screwing around with those seals. I won't let your clan slander the art of fuinjutsu any longer. But if I had to name one thing that pissed me off, I'd point at the treatment your clan's heiress was getting. Good thing that at least has improved, or I would not have waited for you idiots to take the initiative."

The ten glared at him, guarded after his display of raw strength, though they still managed to somehow uphold the typical coldness befitting their Hyuga reputation. The fools, in spite of their so-called all-seeing eyes, still had no idea who they were messing with.

Naruto sighed. "So be it. A few years ago I warned Hiashi that I'd tear his clan down if he didn't change his policies, but apparently the guy is even dumber than he looked. Perhaps nine more deaths would be enough to get message across. So, which of you ten idiots desires to be the unlucky one to survive and bring Hiashi the message?"

"Unlucky?"

Their byakugan registered the sudden shift in the man's chakra, but it was already too late for them to run. "Yeah, the unlucky one to survive will lose his ability to function as a shinobi," the predatory laughter chilled them. This wasn't what they had signed up for. This wasn't what eleven chunin-level shinobi were cut out for. These levels of chakra… not even eleven jonin would have sufficed. "The lucky ones don't have to suffer for the rest of their miserable lives."

Naruto took off his mask, revealing his eyes. Kurama having restored his chakra reserves had finally given him his eyes back. It would be the last thing any of these morons would see. The one who didn't die would not keep his eyes. Did they really think that stupid seal wouldn't be burned away first? No, those eyes would make good bargaining chip to use when introducing himself to the Kiri rebels.

Tayuya backed off, wisely letting her father deal with the enemies.

* * *

It was a top-secret mission, one which only she could do. The council sent her, alone, the hero of the sand. Carrying the message of her superiors, she walked through a mist-filled gorge. Her pupil-less eyes could distinguish only a little in the fog, yet she felt oddly relaxed. She wasn't in hostile territory anymore. This treaty would be a huge victory for Suna, and it would be a boon to Kirigakure just as well. Considering Suna's existing ties with Konoha, the alliance with Kiri would create a good chance for them to form a coalition which would surpass the power of Iwa and Kumo- especially after Konoha's Hokage had decimated Iwa's forces to such an extent.

She was a tall woman, proud and often hailed for her beauty, but even more renowned for her skill in battle. Her green hair was tied in a bun on top of her head, with a hair needle stuck through it. Strands of hair, one long and one short, with orange tips, framed her face. In spite of the different climate, she still wore her usual sleeveless, backless top and short tight pants, with two lapels on the front and the back. With an obi around her waist, purple arm-warmers extending all the way up to her shoulders, and bandages around her tights and ankles, she seemed rather out of place here- And she was.

Shakuton no Pakura (Pakura of the Scorch Release) was a hero of Sunagakure, distinguished by her feats in the conflict with Iwa. Yet now she was walking in Kirigakure's turf, delivering a message from her Kazekage, Rasa, to Yagura, the Mizukage. The message was important enough to make someone like her a simple envoy. Then again, if any of the other nations caught wind of this treaty… but that was the reason behind all secrecy.

"Shakuton no Pakura," a voice caught her attention. Male, late twenties or early thirties by the sound of it. "We've come to welcome you," indeed, a man stepped through the strands of mist. An idle part of her mind wondered why she felt so calm. She hadn't noticed the man approach, yet she felt unbothered by it. "It is an honor to meet you," wide-armed, signifying that he meant her no harm, the man kept walking towards her. His smile seemed… fake? "This mist shrouds us, so we thought you would need someone to lead the way."

"Thank you very much," she said curtly. "But there is no way I would get lost going through this valley." This had been the route which the Kazekage and Mizukage had agreed to use.

"Very true," he laughed- still fake, yet still she felt no urge to be on her guard. "Well, please proceed."

"Fine," she nodded, and walked on. The part of her brain which was still clear tried to warn her, but the kunai came first. The man whom she had just passed held it, his fake smile replaced by a predatory grin.

"W-What are you doing?!" This couldn't be! The treaty was more in Kiri's favor than it was in Suna's, why would they betray her?

"Feel the pain felt by our comrades who were killed by your village," he hissed. He leapt back, just in time to evade a barrage of kunai thrown by his allies.

Suddenly she was surrounded, with kunai coming from everywhere. There was no escape. This trap… was prepared too perfectly. Why would they have spent months negotiating, only for them to… '_Is that why Rasa-sama was acting even stiffer than usual?'_

* * *

A few months had passed since they had left Konoha. Tayuya was still back at the camp, while he had joined two rebel squads to see what all the fuss was about. Terumi Mei, leader of the rebels, had been very wary of him at first, even tried to attack him. That corrosive mist thing had really hurt like hell, even he had to admit that. But he had persisted, shrugging off her attacks until he had her ripe for the taking- except, he allowed her to live.

It was a courtesy he had not extended to the blundering fool who had attempted to use Tayuya as a hostage.

The absence of ill will, his unusual power, and on top of it all his gift, two intact byakugan, had convinced the leaders of the rebellion. Of course, the people of Kiri were rather stubborn, hence the annoying attempt to use Tayuya against him. None of their attempts really amounted to anything. Kurama had given him plenty of chakra to last for another year or so, even when fighting regularly. His inability to efficiently absorb and generate chakra was a big nuisance, making him rather cranky when he had to waste chakra on fools.

The old Naruto might have tried to talk them out of it, but the current one… well, he eliminated the threat in a way that wasted as little chakra as necessary. If talking helped, good, but if it didn't- there was no shortage of fanatics- then it was easier to just do as they wished. A few decapitations had ended their futile desire to eliminate the 'foreigners'. Sometimes a violent response did offer a chance to end further hostility; or, as Mei had spoken, "Gentle medics made festering wounds." Naruto saw the wisdom of that when he recalled the problems that Sarutobi Hiruzen created. By being too gentle, too understanding, one allowed the enemy to amass power and strike when he was ready. Still, it was ironic how part of the rebel forces were just as paranoid as Yagura himself, yet proclaimed that they were better.

'_Oh well, at least Mei has a functioning brain. I do wonder what weird kind of problem she has with her hearing, though…'_

Looking down at their enemies, the rebel squads looked at their leader, Ao. Or 'Byakugan no Ao', as he was called now. Having lost an eye shortly before Naruto arrived, the jonin had been the first to receive one of the byakugan Naruto brought along. Hidden and protected by seals, they had put some effort into being subtle. Subtlety was thrown out of the window when rumors spread through their forces of how Ao had singlehandedly defeated a Hyuga in close combat, even managing to steal his opponent's eyes. It was a blatant lie, one which Mei had chewed Ao out for, mishearing his report and thinking that he was boasting about it.

Naruto grounded Tayuya when he found out she had been the one to spread the word. He liked pranks, but Tayuya still had to learn that her pranks had consequences. Naruto was the first to admit that she had the absolute worst example in him, though. In being rash and impulsive, the father and daughter might not be related by blood, but definitely shared much in terms of behavior.

"Ao-taicho?" the voice drew Naruto's attention back to the situation at hand. "That is the envoy. Should we engage?"

"Negative," Ao didn't look at the jonin who asked the question, Naruto knew that he was focusing his attention on his byakugan. "That mist isn't natural."

"No, Taicho. There is chakra weaved through it."

"I see," Ao nodded. "A very subtle genjutsu. I barely noticed it at first, but for her lack of response being peculiar."

"The loyalists… are attacking the envoy?"

"It seems that is the case."

"Should we engage?"

"Why? We are outnumbered."

"So you just let her die?" Naruto growled.

"She's from Sunagakure, an enemy."

Ao did not see Naruto's glare, not while the Uzumaki was wearing his usual eye hole-less white mask, to know that he was disapproving. None of the rebels ever really found an explanation as to why the temperature around him always fluctuated. No known kekkei genkai even remotely resembled the power which Naruto possessed. Of course, they didn't know him as 'Naruto', as it was a name that could potentially be linked to his younger self. No, they knew 'Genkuro'.

"You said she was an envoy from Suna. If the loyalists attack her, it means she can be of value to us," with clenched jaws Naruto stopped himself from lashing out in anger. These rebels… at times like these, Naruto wondered why he aided them. Honor might be a naïve notion, yet Naruto was a romantic at heart. He wished to be the 'good guy', a remnant of his old self, even if his memories told him differently- that he had done too many things, enough to be a hypocrite if he called himself good.

Not waiting for the other rebels to move, Naruto took the initiative. Suna's envoy was stabbed in the back with a cowardice that made Naruto's blood boil- probably literally. The barrage of kunai flying at the cornered woman was aimed flawlessly, but Naruto hadn't been sleeping during these last four years. Visiting the Fire Temple had been high on his agenda, especially now that his power had been reduced due to Moryo's actions. There were questions to be asked, techniques to be learned, and meditation to be done. Not all the answers could be found in the confusing maze of memories that he held within his mind. Some things had to be taught the old fashioned way. That did not imply that his memories weren't valuable, but unfortunately it would take years to reorganize all of them.

Regardless, Naruto still had fond memories of seeing how surprised Chiriku had been when this random stranger had dropped by. But he wasn't half as surprised then as he would be a good two months later, when Naruto had managed to master their techniques.

"Raigo: Senjusatsu (Welcoming Approach: Thousand-Armed Murder)." It was the monk's ultimate technique, one which Naruto preferred not to use when it wasn't necessary. But defense was needed, while the number of enemies required a thousand arms to deal with.

Chiriku had summoned- created- a construct of chakra that was peaceful and calm, to defend him from harm and, when he willed it, to angrily strike down any opponent. Naruto was different. Every chakra-based construct which he had created previously had been different from what the monks did, and the Senjusatsu was no exception: this was a being of flames, not calm but churning like the bottomless ocean. It was not peaceful, but vengeful like the burning hells.

The poor envoy would likely not escape without at least a _few_ burns, but it was nothing Naruto couldn't fix. Besides, a little scorching was better than being turned into a porcupine from all the kunai stuck into your body. She would have to be satisfied with the fact that he chose the lesser of two evils.

Shouts were heard, and the Kiri loyalists stirred: too little, too late. Naruto did not summon the Senjusatsu idly, nor would he waste chakra by sustaining it for too long. Memories of the past had shown him that combat should be resolved swiftly and decisively, lest you give your enemies time to create more havoc.

The arms weren't solid, but they didn't need to be. A thousand arms spread through the gorge, leaving no place for the ambushing loyalists to hide, effectively turning their trap against them. Each Kiri nin touched by an arm died in flames.

The last one standing was the man who had 'welcomed' Suna's envoy, and subsequently stabbed the woman in her back. Unsurprisingly, the man was a sniveling mess, demanding, begging, to know who he was and if he could please spare him.

"Terumi Mei says hello," Naruto's voice remained cold. He disliked murder. There was a distinction between killing people in combat, and executing an already-defeated enemy. This case was the latter, and it felt like murder, a crime- a necessary crime, though.

With a deep sigh, Naruto released the chakra. The enormous Buddha dissolved, having done its duty of ugly necessity. Moments after, Ao landed, visibly displeased, which didn't surprise Naruto much, considering how the man had just seen that he been holding back on them before now. Well, in truth Naruto hadn't seen the need to use such power in any of the previous skirmishes.

"My men are looking for survivors," the only non-Hyuga who wielded a byakugan announced. "That was reckless."

"It was necessity."

"Nonsense," Ao retorted. "You should've left her to die. That was probably why Suna sent her here, all alone, in the first place!"

"I don't care, Ao. Now piss off," Naruto growled. "I'll heal her before I return to camp. If any of Yagura's minions pop up after you leave, I'll make sure they're either disposed of or unable to follow my tracks."

"As you wish," Ao scowled. "But I _will_ mention this in my report, Genkuro-san."

"Of course you will," Naruto said dismissively. Ao was too precise. Naruto never had much tolerance for nitpickers, especially the bossy type of nitpickers like Ao. "And Terumi Mei will remember that I help the rebels because I _chose_ to do so."

Ao was a lot, but was no fool. He left. He was loyal to a cause, and Naruto was needed for that cause. Antagonizing the man was counterproductive.

Walking toward the green-haired woman, the injured envoy was sitting on the ground, Naruto was surprised to notice that he hadn't even burnt her. "Now that's a new one… I thought I had to heal your burns," Naruto frowned behind his mask. "There's still that gash on your back, though. Please sit-"

'Still' was what he wanted to say. Technically she did such, even though she attacked him. Bright orbs of yellow and orange fire scorched right through him. Seemingly autonomous, the orbs followed when he evaded, even though the Suna envoy seemed motionless. Yet, Naruto saw no one else. The three orbs converged, its combined mass far greater than the individual three ever were, and crashed down.

The resulting explosion… _could_ have been massive. If the jutsu was used on someone other than Naruto. For the first time since he had interfered, the envoy moved. Her face, grimacing when she moved, as her back hurt like hell, she turned to him with confusion showing in her eye. Then again, Naruto was performing some kind of weird 'ouch-I-burned-my-hand' dance which would have made even the most stoic Aburame frown in confusion.

"You're… unharmed?"

"No, I'm not," Naruto snapped at her. "My hand is burned, dammit! Fuck, that hasn't happened to me since I fell in that volcano."

"You fell into a volcano."

"What's with that deadpan expression?" the masked Uzumaki exclaimed indignantly. "That piece-of-shit demon threw me in it, and it burned like hell!"

"That's what lava does…"

"Yeah yeah, I know, Miss Smartass," he grumbled. "Now, stop moving. And quit attacking me. That wound on your back needs to be healed, so stop moving around or you'll bleed to death."

"What does it matter," she turned away from him, her expression saddened.

"Everything." He ignored the groan that left her lips when he pulled the kunai out of her back, using one hand to keep her firmly in place. Dropping the bloody kunai, his remaining hand was cloaked in the warmth he previously used instinctively. Having spent a few months with the monks again, he had learned a thing or two about healing. "As long as there is life, there is hope."

"You heard your friend. My life is forfeit. My village sent me to die."

"Is that all it takes for you to give up?" Naruto sighed. "I thought shinobi like you would be more used to treason by now. I forgot the content of the bingo book they gave me, but considering the neat fireworks earlier, I'd at least say you are a jonin. Pretty good one too. No chunin should have such skill. Then again, people with kekkei genkai can do weird things too. I remember that guy with the ice thingy, who did… I'm rambling, aren't I?"

"Yes…"

"Ao said your name was Pakura, right?"

"Correct."

"So, Pakura-san, how's your back?"

"It doesn't hurt. The anesthetic seems to work well."

"Anes_what_? Oh, yeah that thing that medic use before… damn, forgot," Naruto smacked himself against his foreh… foremask. "Anyway, it seems pretty much done. Your muscles might be a bit sore first, though."

"You're… my back is healed? That kunai…"

"Yeah, it stuck deeply. And you lost quite a bit of blood too. I bet you're pretty darn tired now."

"…"

"What? You don't believe me?" A redundant question, considering the expression he saw on her face. Distrust was the least insulting word to describe it.

"Who are you?"

"I'm surprised you didn't ask me 'what' I am," Naruto chuckled, amused by her attitude. Stretching carefully, the woman discovered (though still refused to believe) that her back was healed. The darn thing had punctured a lung, but otherwise the kunai hadn't hit anything Naruto couldn't heal. Had any of her organs been bust, the situation would've been more complex.

"Hmm, well, before I answer that, I gotta ask you what you're planning to do," Naruto continued. "The rebel forces have already retreated, and I'm sure that Yagura will send one of his goons to this place soon. Are you planning to wait for them, do you want to return to Suna, or do you want to join me?"

"Join you?" her pupil-less brown eyes narrowed, as if she hadn't been looking at him with enough suspicion already.

"Yep. I saved your ass, so you owe me," Naruto joked. Bad decision, because this woman was too serious for her own good. "Let me rephrase that: the rebels always need competent shinobi to aid their cause. And so do I!"

"Cause?"

"Err… yeah, there's a rebellion within Kiri. Yagura, the Yondaime Mizukage, is trying to purge the lands of all people who carry a kekkei genkai within them. The rebels rebel against that. Obviously. I mean, it is obvious that rebels rebel, they wouldn't be rebels if they weren't rebellious, and-"

The woman put up her hands, weary of his distracting banter. For someone who just warned that Mizu's forces would likely soon arrive here, he was far too relaxed. "I know what the rebels want. But the way you talked, you seemed to suggest that you had a cause too."

"Ah, yes. That would be the death of Yagura," Naruto dropped the cheerful act. "His existence is a threat to many things. But again, I won't tell you unless I know what you want."

"I spent my entire life for the sake of my village… only for them to discard me like a rusted kunai. I knew that my Kazekage was acting strangely. I knew it was peculiar for me to be assigned this mission all by myself, but… I never thought they'd… not this."

"Betrayal is an ugly thing," Naruto nodded. "Do you wish to remain loyal to them?"

"I… I don't know."

"That would limit your options to two things: complete your mission, and go to Kirigakure. Considering your earlier 'welcome', I don't know if you'd survive that, Pakura-san. The alternative is failing your mission and returning to Sunagekure."

She cringed. Failure. She knew that aborting a mission that was as crucial as hers was… but why was her mission crucial? Her death would placate Kirigakure, serving as atonement for Suna's past transgressions. With her life, Suna hoped to buy a peace with the rival hidden village, so that it could focus its attention on the situation at Iwa's borders.

"If I continue, I die. If I return, I die." It was a harsh conclusion, yet an inevitable one. "Why would you even want me to join you?"

"Why wouldn't I? You're competent enough to look after yourself. And my Tayuya-chan would benefit from having a mother."

Pakura choked.

"WHAT?!"

"Well, I'm not really the best possible parent," Naruto admitted sheepishly, completely missing the true reason behind her exasperated response. "I mean, I took her to the Fire Temple for a while, so she could get some proper education. And Mei took a liking to her as well, teaching her a thing or two about chakra control whenever she has the time. But apart from her… well, I'm kinda a mess myself. Tayuya-chan needs a proper role model, and Mei has a bad habit of threatening people that I'd rather not see in my little girl. No, she needs someone other than me to bond with, someone who isn't bound to her duty the way Mei is."

When Naruto focused his attention, which had drifted off when he was thinking about Tayuya's education, back to the woman in front of him, he was surprised to see three deathly orbs of steaming heat.

"Filthy pervert!"

"Eh?" he held his hand up, blocking the orbs that aimed to harm him. The ratio was horrible, barely sufficient to keep his reserves fueled, yet still he was able to absorb anything heat-based. He had theories, but he did not know exactly why, still: the only chakra he could integrate as efficiently as before Moryo had cast him back in time was Kurama's.

"You rescued me to become a mother to your child?" she hissed, lunging at him with a kunai. Only now did Naruto realize how she interpreted his words, how badly he had worded it. Filled with righteous female fury, her kunai lashed toward him. He sidestepped, but in his carelessness he missed the follow-up punch. His mask absorbed most of the hit, but it didn't survive the impact. The result… well, Pakura gasped.

"And that's why I wear a mask," Naruto was a little irritable about the matter of his looks. The encounter with Yagura had left his face scarred. He considered destroying and reforming his body, but that was a waste of chakra. And annoyed after getting such a tiny body, Kurama had refused to share enough of his chakra for such superficial reasons, forcing Naruto to stick with it.

Staring at the empty eye sockets, Pakura had but one question. "What happened to you?"

"My eyes exploded," Naruto shrugged, as if it was a regular occurrence. If not for the scars, Pakura wouldn't have believed him.

"So… you're blind. Yet what you did to save me was…"

"Oh, I do have eyes," Naruto put some energy into it, manifesting the churning flames in his eye sockets. "See?"

"…"

"I know, it's weird. I'll explain later. So, can you make a decision on where to go?"

"The decision isn't mine," Pakura scowled. "It shouldn't be mine."

"You can die by their terms, or live by your own. But, as far as they care, you could just as well have perished here today. Besides, there are two governments in this land right now. The latter might give you some leeway in your choices."

* * *

"So he interfered during the exchange, after Yagura's men turned on the envoy?"

"Yes, Terumi-sama."

"Ao, cut out that formal crap," Mei glared at the man. The man gulped, knowing far too well how unpredictable the woman was, which combined badly with the danger she posed with her two kekkei genkai.

"As you command, Terumi-san."

"Argh, get out. Go bother the troops or whatever."

A giggle resounded from the back of the tent, revealing a six-year-old girl with pinkish red hair. The girl stuck her tongue out at Ao, who ignored it, mostly. The exasperated sigh from the man when he left the tent made both the girl and the woman laugh.

"Tou-san was doing weird shit again?"

"A woman shouldn't talk like that, Tayuya-chan."

"Good thing I'm not a woman yet," the girl smirked. "He'll be here soon."

"How do you know?" the auburn-haired woman wondered. The girl seemed to have a sixth sense regarding the man's whereabouts. And… well, Tayuya wasn't the best person to keep secrets. Not that she blurted them out, but the awkward silence that fell whenever Mei touched a subject she couldn't talk about was telling enough. Ao's report only added to the speculation that the man known as Genkuro hid a fair share of secrets. In her position, Mei found those secrets rather dangerous.

"Because Tou-san promised we'd eat ramen tonight," Tayuya beamed. A promise involving ramen was always kept, even if it meant going through solid walls. Tayuya would never forget the terrified look of the ramen chef after her father had burst through that wall!

"Did somebody say 'ramen'?"

Mei facepalmed. Of course he just happened to arrive at that specific moment. She even had the growing suspicion that he had waited until the word was mentioned before coming in. As usual, he completely ignored her guards, though they were smart enough not to try and attack him. He had once told her that he was used to jumping into his leader's office like this, a habit he had no intention of changing. Just to be sure, she put her hand up, signaling her guard that it was okay.

"Genkuro-san."

"Terumi-san." The chuckle that accompanied those words revealed he had been listening. Before she could retort, however, a second arrival showed herself. "Tadaaa!" Like a cheap magician he waved both hands at the woman, as if he had just pulled a rabbit out of a hat.

"Who… the envoy," Mei sighed tiredly. "Of course it is the envoy."

"Yep," Naruto sniggered. "I'm-"

"TOU-SAN!" Naruto was cut off by a dropkick.

"I see you've been practicing taijutsu today," Naruto plucked the little girl from the air, before her feet could connect to his face. "Or you've been drinking coffee again. You know what I said about coffee, the last time you went on a rampage."

Rolling her eyes, ignoring the banter, the envoy stepped forward. "Terumi Mei, it is an honor to meet you."

"Shakuton no Pakura, it is an unexpected pleasure," Mei returned the courtesy and bowed just as deeply. "What brings you to the headquarters of our rebellion? Aside from the fact that someone was irresponsible enough to lead an outsider to this place, a_ place which was supposed to remain a closely guarded secret_."

The sheepish smile on Naruto's scarred face showed that he at least had the decency to feel embarrassed, not that she expected him to feel any remorse. He just did whatever came to mind, seemingly without any form of planning. Yet the unpredictable man had an agenda of his own, a hidden agenda, so Mei could still not say she truly knew his goals.

"Genkuro-san was kind enough to lead me to you," Pakura stoically ignored Mei's jab, knowing its target. "My original purpose was to deliver a message to Kirigakure. Kiri, however, ended up betraying me." She left out the strong suspicion that it had been Sunagakure that had figuratively stabbed her in the back, leaving it to Kiri to plant the literal dagger.

"So, I led her here," 'Genkuro' stopped fooling around. "The rebels can use a little help, can't they? And Pakura is an official diplomat right now, even carrying her Daimyo's seal and all, so… that should be beneficial, right?"

"My village sought an alliance with Kirigakure no Sato, yet by assaulting the official envoy, Kiri broke that agreement," Pakura didn't show it, but she was impressed by Naruto's on-the-fly scheme. He was correct, she was indeed the official emissary, so she could ignore any underhanded agreement between Suna and Yagura's government, and instead side with the rebels. By proxy, that would imply that Suna sided with the rebels.

Of course, Suna wouldn't be pleased. Thus, Pakura was planning to send her hitai-ate along with her final letter, a letter which would hopefully be an agreement between her and the Godaime Mizukage, Terumi Mei. Of course, if she, as envoy, recognized the rebels as the rightful rulers of Kirigakure, then it was within her mandate to do everything within her power to aid the 'ally of Sunagakure'. The elders and the Kazekage wouldn't like it one bit, especially not when the Godaime Mizukage just happened to have some dirty secrets on Suna which she could use in her favor… yes, this would be a final insult before Pakura turned her back on the village that sold her out.

Having explained the situation to Mei, she was surprised when the woman immediately looked at Naruto. "This was one of your schemes." No question, no accusation, just a conclusion.

"Yep."

"Very well, then I accept your aid, Pakura-san. Although it is both for your safety and that of the rebel forces that you do not fall under my command. We cannot risk this situation leading to Suna aiding Yagura _before_ we take control of the nation."

"That's where the pretending-to-have-died part comes in," Naruto supplied. "If those backstabbers in Suna knew about this, they'd take a more active stance to avoid giving Yagura the impression that Suna broke the armistice."

"I understand," Pakura bowed. Whether it was to Mei or Naruto, she couldn't say. He was very unusual, but there was something about him, something strange… something compelling.

* * *

"Why is she _here_?"

"Now, now, don't be rude Tayuya-chan."

"But Tou-san-"

"I gave my word." Only four words, yet it stopped Tayuya from continuing to whine. She knew darn well how much her father valued his promises- far more than her biological father had ever done, that's for sure. Regardless, that didn't change the fact that she didn't like this situation.

So, she huffed and stomped out of the tent which the two of them shared. It was big enough to accommodate thrice their number, but Naruto and Tayuya had been given a separate tent, as they were technically apart from the rebel forces, just like Pakura. Considering how she had been brought in by Naruto, Mei had assigned her to Naruto as well.

"Don't take it personally, Tayuya-chan just… well, she has a certain distrust when it comes to women. It took several weeks before she accepted Mei, and that's only because she thinks that Mei is funny. The hearing thing, you know." He saw Pakura's slightly questioning look. "You'll see it in due time. Especially when Ao is around. Poor guy…"

Rummaging through a chest filled with clothes and other stuff, Naruto finally found what he was looking for. "Much better, right?" he chuckled, turning towards Pakura. He made a mental note of keeping a spare mask with him in cases such as these.

"Why the masquerade?"

"Why not? It's fun to keep people guessing about your identity," Naruto shrugged. "Besides, my scars aren't exactly a pretty sight. Tayuya-chan isn't bothered by them anymore, but many others are. Shinobi are surprisingly squeamish, in spite of their usual bravado."

"She really seems to love you," Pakura smiled wryly. Thoughts of her apprentice, Maki, came to mind. Had Sunagakure already declared her dead? Probably. Maki would be devastated, no doubt. But there was little that Pakura could do about that right now. As long as people thought she was dead, no one would come looking for her, thus no one would be able to prevent her from completing her mission in the way she wanted it to be completed. If Suna wanted an alliance with Kiri, they could get one, just not with Yagura's 'Bloody Mist', and most definitely not with terms that were favorable to Sunagakure. Pakura would make sure that the Kazekage and his council would bleed for how they had thrown her away.

"Tayuya-chan? Well, yeah, she does. Without me she would have… let's just say that I changed her life for the better, and she knows it."

"Changed?" Pakura frowned.

"I'm not her actual father, I'm afraid. Adopted. She's the daughter of a ringleader of a band of thugs. Her life before I took her along wasn't very pretty. That's why she'll have a hard time _warming up_ to you. Get it? Warming up?" he chuckled. Her deadpan expression stopped him, making him rub the back of his head in embarrassment. "I know. I'm the last person who should utter such a lame fire-joke."

"You said you'd explain," Pakura had refrained from asking the question that controlled her thoughts thus far. But, she did desire answers. "Who and what you are. You said you'd explain if I sided with you."

"I did… hm," he scratched his mask, the area that covered his chin. "You're perceptive enough to know that 'Genkuro' is just a cover. It's necessary to hide my identity, so that I won't risk the safety of those close to me, and all that jazz. You know the drill: powerful people always attract unwanted attention."

Pakura nodded. She knew that better than most. The fact that her clan, her bloodline, had been decimated due to the fear people held for the Shakuton kekkei genkai was proof enough to support his claim. "So you have a kekkei genkai?"

"Me? Neh, not really. I am… what would be the best word to describe it?" he mumbled pensively. He took a seat on one of the two chairs within the tent- the place where he and Tayuya usually dined. "I am an anomaly."

Gone was the playful and goofy attitude. Pakura had seen that switch a few times now. There was a huge gap between the Genkuro who frolicked around, and the Genkuro who was a seasoned warrior.

"Bijuu affect their jinchuriki in strange ways. Their chakra leaks through the seal which imprisons them, infecting the human being that acts as both prison and warden. I… you can see me as a result of that effect. I am no jinchuriki, yet hold much of its chakra and the subsequent differences." It wasn't the complete story, obviously, but it wasn't truly wrong either. The time travel, his battle with Moryo, his first death at Gaara's hands, his father's seal which had split the Kyuubi in two, banishing half to the realm of the Shinigami while the other half was sealed in Naruto, those things had to be left out for obvious reasons.

"Are you an experiment?"

"I am an exception." Naruto didn't want to see himself as an experiment. That hadn't been the intent of his father, the one who created the seal which held Kurama, nor had it been Kurama's desire to cause all this. The fact that this time's Kurama had undergone such radical changes only emphasized that the fox never wanted what had happened in his own time.

"So your eyes, your resistance to fire, they're all the result of you being exposed to a bijuu's chakra?"

"Pretty much. Oh, and that thing with my eyes exploding happened because I tried to absorb some of Yagura's chakra. The Sanbi and I didn't really connect all that well, which destabilized my chakra, effectively poisoning me. Oh well, apart from a few ugly scars, I haven't really suffered any long-term disadvantages from it. Although I did scare Tayuya-chan quite a bit," Naruto sighed. "It was only shortly after we met when that incident happened. She was terrified that I'd die."

Pakura didn't really know what to say, her mind overflowing with all the revelations of the day, and Naruto was reminiscing the time when Tayuya was fussing about him. While his desire to return to his own time was as strong as ever, part of him wanted to delay it. Minato was exploring theories surrounding the Shinigami, to see if it could possibly offer a way for Naruto to go home. Likewise, Jiraiya was searching for a dojutsu that was rumored to transcend the limitations of the mortal world, a dojutsu thought to be extinct. Yet, Jiraiya had seen it in a boy he once trained. Regardless, Naruto hoped that he didn't have to make the choice until this time's Tayuya was a bit older.

He couldn't bear the idea of abandoning his little girl before she grew up to an age where she would be able to understand his plight.

"There is an organization which is dedicated to capturing the bijuu, all nine of them, for unknown purposes," Naruto revealed. "I work to halt them; that is why I went to Yagura. The only problem is, and I'd prefer you keep this a secret, even from the rebels; the problem is that the Sanbi took control of the Mizukage. There is no Yagura anymore, just a façade behind which the Sanbi hides."

"What?!"

"With the seal compromised, and the Sanbi practically freed, it would be easy for Akatsuki to extract and seal it away. But rather than ally himself with those who oppose Akatsuki, the Sanbi became a liability the moment he decided that Akatsuki was not a real threat to his existence. Short-term views, and that stuff. Anyway, I cannot risk the safety of the entire world for that. As such, I aim to kill Yagura, to kill the Sanbi. That'll buy more time, as it'll take years for the Sanbi to reform."

"And without the Sanbi, this 'Akatsuki' can't continue its plans."

"Exactly. Stabilizing this nation and putting a government with a friendlier disposition towards us is a beneficial side effect. Of course, Rasa knows about the threat, friends of mine helped with stabilizing his son's seal. Unfortunately, neither he nor the rest of Suna's council believe that Yagura is compromised, or else we wouldn't have had this conversation."

"Who is 'we', who are your friends?" Pakura spoke up after what had been at least a minute, mincing his words. "How much of this is orchestrated by you?"

"I'm not a strategist," Naruto laughed cheerfully. "Never have been, and probably never will be. But I can see opportunities when they pass by. In the end, everything I do is aimed at stopping Akatsuki."

"How does Tayuya fit in that picture?"

"Whether by blood or not, she's my daughter," Naruto evaded the question. Telling Pakura that he was from the future, that he was in love with the future version of Tayuya, was… weird. "Give her some time. She'll accept you eventually. She's always been slow to trust women."

"Why?"

"Why? Well, her actual father never treated her well, so her mother was the only one she really had an attachment to. But that same mother barely even bothered to stand up for her when the father tried to sell her. Nor was she willing to follow her daughter, even though I offered to take her along as well. Sadly, it seemed that that woman did not know any better than to just blindly obey her husband," Pakura was confused as to why the temperature within the tent suddenly dropped. As if all the warmth was drained from the air. "The one person Tayuya held any faith in, before she met me, went and betrayed her. That betrayal left deep scars in her soul. As I said, her father never showed her much love anyway, but her mother… I suppose dealing with her issues with grown women is a matter for later. For now, you should rest. It's been a rough day for you."

She couldn't disagree. Betrayed, sold out, sent to die, Pakura's entire world had been destroyed. Thinking about that, realizing how much the way Suna's betrayal hurt her, Pakura could barely realize how such an event would affect a little girl like Tayuya.

'_Is that… could it be that this is the reason why he rescued me? After all, if his goal is to stop Akatsuki, my demise would have been irrelevant to him.'_

* * *

It had taken a while for him to find his daughter, and after some coercion, she had given in. Returning her to the tent, where Pakura stared at them from the bed she was resting in, Tayuya had merely scowled. "That's our tent," she had said to him. She didn't like sharing her father's attention with someone else.

'_And yet it has to be done. If Tou-san or Ero-sennin find a way, I need to have contingencies in place for my little girl,'_ Naruto sighed. He took a place outside the tent, in front of a camp fire. Pakura took this the wrong way, fretting over her taking his bed and all, but he just waved it off. He didn't need nearly as much sleep as regular humans did. Besides, he needed time to meditate, to sort out the amazing mess that his memories had become upon his revival. That's what he did, every night, seven nights a week, fifty-two weeks a year. And it likely would take him several more years until he could finish this process.

Closing his eyes, calming his senses, shutting out the world around him, Naruto turned his attention inward.

Opening his eyes, Naruto found himself in the usual place. It was the same vast hall as always, weakly lit by the gentle light that shone from the countless mirrors that stood within it, the representation of his mind and memories. Unlike before, when it had been a disorderly mess, the mirrors now stood in a semi-orderly fashion. It had been quite an undertaking, as the mirrors had been scrambled by the unfortunate aftermath of his battle against Moryo, and Naruto had spent years to organize his mind. It made it easier to recall things, as well as making it easier to store new memories. A strong foundation was needed in order to build further.

Turning towards the door that connected the vast hall to the doorway that led to the other halls, Naruto saw a familiar figure. A little boy, his body entirely composed of flames, was waiting in the hallway. He couldn't enter this hall, as it wasn't his, so whenever Naruto wasn't around he had to wait in the dreary sewer-like hallway.

"Hello, Genkuro. Ready for tonight's explorations? Whose hall shall we enter today? Hashirama's? Asura's? Or do you want to continue where we left off last night, with whatshisname from the Kaguya clan?"

* * *

_Author's notes_:

* * *

I originally wanted to switch between past and present with each chapter, but the thing with Pakura got a little longer than anticipated. Pakura using the rights that she has in the context of her diplomatic mission in order to side with Mei's rebellion was something which, I have to admit, came to mind while writing the chapter. Usually I plan such things ahead, but… oh well. Sometimes chapters just seem to write themselves, not caring about any plan which a lowly writer such as me has beforehand.

At least Genkuro's appearance made a nice cliffhanger, so I can't complain. And, there are more halls than just one? Yeah, that definitely deserves its own chapter…

I did ask you once 'where do Genkuro's memories go', although in hindsight it might've been better to ask 'where has Genkuro's essence gone'. Heh. He's still around, yes, but… well, you'll see next chapter. I admit I feel amused by the dichotomy that can be seen in the reviews: in the past people kept urging me to 'bring back Naruto', and now that he's back I hear 'bring back Genkuro'. Ironically, I chose both options. And no, I do _not_ need to thank Jack Daniels for aiding me in the creation of this weird-ass plot… Nor am I on drugs, to answer another question. I might be Dutch, but not all of us are junkies!

Jokes aside, I'm grateful for all of your support, I really am. Not only for **Illuminated**'s hard work, but also for everyone else supports me in this endeavor. I'm glad that this story hasn't lost as many readers as I feared it had! I know, this matters little to you, but my life has been busy, with some of its current aspects being difficult and time-consuming to deal with, so I really considered putting this story on hiatus. But then the previous chapter suddenly became the most-reviewed chapter I ever published… talk about getting a reason to keep on going!

* * *

-Z-

_Edit: once again _**Fuyuriku** _managed to eliminate several mistakes. Thank you!_


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